Swallow
by OveliaGirlHaditRight
Summary: My idea for a Kingdom Hearts IV-that will eventually have all that entails, like Shibuya and Verum Rex and Sora's PoV-but that deals with the idea of a dark Kairi after everything she's been through, because this girl deserves to be allowed to feel things. First chapter is from the TV show "Angel the Series"-as it's Fox and Disney owns Fox now-but you don't have to know Angel t
1. Preface

**Preface**

**Kairi's PoV**

After Sora had disappeared, Kairi had _thrown_ herself into her training… but even that was understating it. Through massive hard work, she had become one of the best Keyblade Masters to ever exist… one who had no problem dispensing justice on those who deserved it, and even enjoyed doing so as she looked for Sora.

And the need to "dispense justice" was exactly what she and Riku had to do right now—in Kairi's eyes, at least—as the two of them were chasing down a rogue vampire who just wanted to watch the world burn.

But as the vampire just wanted to fight, and so did she, Kairi supposed they weren't so different—and that was something that was starting to scare her more than anything else. The thrill of her own hunt was the only thing that at all made her feel alive after Sora had died.

The two friends were currently running on a scaffolding past a sign that said "Welcome Faith"—that the aforementioned vampire had put up just to mock their vampire slayer friend, Faith.

And it was when Kairi was at the end of said sign, that Riku grabbed her arm and yanked her back so that she fell back into the banner and ripped it some. "Kairi… what are we doing? What's the plan here?" Riku practically hissed at her, and she didn't appreciate at all.

Sometimes- sometimes Kairi thought that she and Riku were getting close to being how they had been before all of this had started—the best of friends they were—but on other days, she felt as though there was no hope for them to even be _companions_ now that Sora was gone.

The Kairi of old wouldn't have known what Riku was getting at with his accusation here... or she would have been more concerned with Riku than herself. But the Kairi who had a backbone now rolled her eyes at his question and had to resist the urge to hit him.

"…Kairi? Don't you know that this vampire's actually innocent? He's possessed by a demon, and what the demon's doing _isn't_ his fault. If we can get the vampire back in control again—which _was_ the plan-we won't have to kill both parties for a crime that only one committed. But the way you're raring to go, I feel like you're angling towards 'kill first, ask questions later'."

Up ahead where Angel—no, the demon: Angelus—was, Kairi could hear Faith _screaming_ as if she were in the worst pain she'd ever experienced. And as Kairi remembered all too well what it had been like to have her arm ripped out of its socket and then to feel a killing blow, she could only empathize. _This_ was why they should have been killing Angelus and allowing the gods of Mount Olympus to sort out what was right and what wasn't.

"Except that we don't even know if the two can be separated, Riku!" Kairi protested, as she began running towards Faith and yelled at Riku from over her shoulder. "And if not, this creature needs to _die. Fast_. Especially since he's helping to block out the sun, that will destroy all the people in this world of we don't do anything about it."

Kairi had met a lot of horrible people in her life—she had known Xehanort, hadn't she?—but there was something about this "Angelus" figure that was even worse to her, since he'd committed even more atrocities than Xehanort had and had enjoyed every moment of it.

Kairi did feel for this Angel person underneath it all, she did, but she didn't know what else they could do when time was of the essence. The man's son, Connor, had even come up to Kairi and told her that he thought his dad was a lost cause. And surely if his son—who wouldn't have ever wanted him gone—was saying this, it was the truth. Right?

That's what Kairi thought, anyway. And that was why that now—when she'd finally rounded the corner to find Wesley, an injured Faith, who Angelus had drunk from… and Angelus himself—she threw Destiny's Embrace at the vampire's heart and hoped for the best.

But Angelus passed out somehow, right as Kairi threw her blade—and as he fell downward, he missed Kairi's Keyblade sailing over his head this way.

Like this—unconscious, that was—Angelus looked as charming and innocent as a newborn puppy—was this the Angel that slept within him?—and when Wesley looked at Kairi's weapon on the ground, the expression in her eyes, and then had an utter look of betrayal on _his_ face, Kairi knew what she'd become… and that maybe Riku had been right.

**Author's Note: So, I actually wanted to do more with the Angel the Series stuff—maybe I will later?—since while Faith is all innocent here and didn't want Angel to die… well, she and Kairi actually have a lot in common as Faith's own psychotic break is kind of what I'm basing Kairi's on here.**

**Also, Connor totally lied to Kairi because he just wanted his dad to die (Connor hates Angel. At least here).**

**The next chapters will be longer and have flashbacks that better explain how we got to this point.**

**And eventually it will tie into my idea for KHIV, I swear, just with dark Kairi being a major part of it because this girl's allowed to actually feel things.**


	2. Madness

**Madness**

_Surprisingly enough, it hadn't been Kairi's idea for her to train like it was the only thing she had left in the world. It had been Riku's—as many things in her and Sora's life had started out with him—as he had thought that she should actually try and do something and have less reason to hate herself that way._

_"But is that… really a good idea?" Kairi had asked him when he'd suggested it, as she'd sat on the paopu tree—the stupid place she had lost Sora at—and worked on making more lucky charms for him and letters, on the off-chance that _one _of them would work and bring her boy back to her. "Riku… maybe I just was never cut out for fighting. Sora paid a high price in bringing me back. Do you really think I should dishonor his sacrifice by putting myself into even_ more _danger that I can't handle?"_

_Riku had looked like he wanted to push Kairi into the water beneath them then—and honestly, she could have hardly blamed him even if he had; she'd been _so _weak then, and she was ashamed to think of it now—and got right into her face as he said, "That's not the girl who said she wanted to fight like me and Sora, so we wouldn't be the only ones getting hurt… or who said that she was tired of getting left behind and that 'wherever one of us goes, the other follows'. Kairi… you made all of these promises to Sora before the Keyblade Graveyard. Do you really want to go back on them now?"_

_No, she hadn't. That was the last thing in the world that she would have ever wanted. But the person she'd been a few months ago—who had said so much of that stuff—was so different from the girl she was now. That Kairi had gotten a Keyblade into her hand for the first time and had thought that with just a little training, she would easily become as strong as Sora and Riku were. That wasn't the part of her that had _gotten _training and still couldn't get her body to cooperate… and had had to realize that most of her worst nightmares might actually come true, as Terra-Xehanort had charged at her._

_And they had come true after that. Oh, how they had. Kairi had had one brief moment of peace and pride in herself—when she had kept Sora from fading away, that had then allowed him to save everyone else—but then it had all gone to hell, like so much of Kairi's life had, and she didn't know if she wanted to go there again._

_"Kairi, the problem is we had you train with someone who isn't a Keyblade wielder at all… And is actually someone who uses his magic to stay away from enemies, when you—in pretty much using a sword—would be in close contact with people. That was our fault, not yours… I'll properly train you now, so you never have to feel so horrible again. Just let me."_

_And that was what started it. Many hours a day—eight or more, as if they were working a full-time job and in Kairi's eyes they were—Riku was training Kairi in the hours that they weren't looking for any hint as to Sora's whereabouts. And while it started out rough, and Kairi had continued to think that maybe she should just work on her light magic because of it, she steadily got better and better and even she could see it—it was nothing like what she had encountered with Merlin and Lea. It was actual tangible progress that she could see in her scars and feel in her muscles. And Kairi took it even further than that._

_She didn't tell Riku or anyone about this because she didn't want to worry them, but in the hours when she should have been sleeping or resting, she would do the familiar drills again until they were completely beaten into her. And then she was taking the gummi ship that Mickey had thankfully left for her and Riku out into the ocean between worlds, to find Heartless or Nobodies to fight: something that didn't help her _that _much, because Kairi had been able to handle these just fine in the Keyblade War, but every little bit of actual experience helped._

_And she'd just hoped against hope that on her journeys she could run into some Darksides or Twilight Thorns, and how happy she was—the first time she'd been remotely that in ages—when she did, and began handling them better and better: with little injuries and destruction to her hair and outfits._

_And at one point—when Kairi had unintentionally taken a page out of Roxas, Xion, and Lea's book—and had bested five giant Heartless in one night, she had finally felt good about herself… and that nothing could ever happen to her again. She wouldn't let it. And that furthermore, she knew that she was going to find Sora and bring him home._

_But it was just when she was beginning to feel great, that such a feeling of euphoria didn't last._

_Kairi heard a Corridor of Darkness open from behind her in Twilight Town—a sound she'd made certain she always knew now, as not being able to recognize it with Xemnas before had led to her death—and who would come out of it but someone cloaked in an Organization robe? Of course._

_Kairi had backed away from her assailant, growling at them as she prepared to send Firaja after Firaja after them. But first, she'd had to berate them a little bit. "You have _got _to be kidding! I thought the lot of you had been defeated in the Keyblade War. All that we did—which- which led to Sora's death—was so we could defeat any of you who would survive to try and get the X-Blade again. So, who are you?! And are you at all connected to Sora's fate?! Do you know where he is?! Tell me!"_

_"Tsk tsk, little princess," the attractive voice of a man replied—as he motioned with his hands that Kairi should calm down, in the way that Master Yen Sid often told the Keyblade wielders of the new generation to sit down. "It's… good that you're so strong now. Go, you! But don't you know you're killing yourself? So much sleep deprivation isn't a good thing. And I know you're not eating or drinking much, either. You're going to be dead as a doornail soon, and your boyfriend's going to come back to see that he sacrificed himself for you for nothing… or worse. That you've become a different person from the girl he loved… There's blood on your hands now, isn't there Kairi?"_

_Kairi had wanted to deny this, of course. After all, she'd only been fighting Heartless and Nobodies and that was something that needed to be done! But at the same time… she knew that they had once been human, and the thought made her violently sick on the inside._

_But even more than that… she was hunting the things as sport now, whereas everyone else had only ever fought the beasts when they'd attacked them on their adventures… and she enjoyed killing them too much._

_And she kept score, the way Sora and Riku once had with their fighting. Every injury she got was a point against her, but each hurt she gave them was a point for her: especially if she could give them many of those without being touched at all. Kairi wasn't trying to be quick or end their suffering fast at all, but to just use them as target practice as long as she could._

_And while Kairi hadn't yet fought another human since the War, she worried that she would do the same when she faced them because it was such a routine now. Sora had only ever told her stories about how Clayton had wanted to kill the gorillas, but Kairi thought that if she herself ever run into him somehow… she'd fight him the way she was now Heartless, and be thrilled for it—that the fear he'd struck in Terk's heart she could put in his._

_So, she was falling. Falling into darkness, it seemed… and this man had known this, and it had been only the start for her._

_"What do you know about it?!" Kairi had demanded then, furious. Throwing her hand out to the side in a way that Sora had used to when he glared at his enemies. "You know nothing. You don't know me at all! You're just a forgotten relic from a cause that's already seen its best day. Now just tell me what you know and get lost, before I-"_

_"Before you what, Kairi?" the voice had cut her off. And there was a sweet cadence in his voice that she hated, as if he'd talked to someone like her before and was trying to be a friend since he'd apparently cared about this other person. "Do something unseemly to me and make Sora hate you even more that way? He loves his little light princess—that's why he fights for you so much—so what do you think he's going to do when he comes back and sees you aren't like that at all anymore? Do you think he'll stay the knight in shining armor, or will he move onto something bigger and better?_

_"You're also angry_. So _angry. And, hey: I applaud you for it—you're entitled to those emotions, and I may even have use of them—but Sora preferred the sweet and loving little girl, not the one who's going to get called to many worlds_ because _of her fury now."_

_Furious? Was she really furious? Kairi had asked herself. She hadn't felt it at the time—if torn between "bloodlust" and "fury", she definitely had thought she was more bloodlust at the time—but the Kairi of the present could recognize how her blood had boiled back then, and continued to do so now._

_But having not liked what this man had said about her getting pulled into an adventure all about her madness—because that wasn't her at all—Kairi had tried to backtrack a little. "Maybe… maybe I've been a little hard on you. You haven't really done anything to me. Perhaps if anything, you're just giving me some… helpful advice. And I guess you don't have to be with Organization XIII... I know a Moogle has worn the coat before, I mean, and clearly they weren't one of Xehanort's vessels. So can you just tell me who you are, and what you wa-"_

_"And how easily you fall back into the Naminé routine. Kairi, did you ever think that maybe the two of you were split for a _reason? _You may be the Princess of Heart… but you have far more fire to you than your Other did, and there's a reason for it and you should relish it—you must do so—even if it means you can't have Sora. You must let him go. Can't you see that?"_

_This had put Kairi in a _horrible _mood, and she'd cried. But not because she was sad, but because she was_livid—_maybe this man was right about that—as it hit the nail on the head too much on how she'd been feeling lately: that fate was keeping her and Sora from being together._

_So Kairi made a decision. "Perhaps… perhaps you're right. Perhaps I should go back to just barely training from now on, and be who I once was. And I will. I won't fall into your plan, and I'll be what Sora wants me to be."_

_And partly to spite the man, Kairi had opened a Corridor of Light—something Master Yen Sid had taught her how to do—and left the guy alone._

_And she _did _try to make good on her promise to herself. But it never could've worked.. For far too long, Kairi had repressed her feelings… and she was done with that. And she had no idea that trying to_ force _herself to do that again, would send her spiraling over the edge._

**Author's Note: I was originally going to have more than just a flashback in this chapter… but since it ended up pretty long, I think I WILL cut it here. Maybe it'll even work better to have flashbacks and present stuff in different chapters. IDK. But I hope you all enjoyed!**


	3. Magic in the Midst

**Author's Note: So, Re:Mind came out since I last updated this. And, sad to say, it's not canon to this story… because the idea that Kairi didn't get to spend much time with Sora at all—or get a chance to prove herself in the Keyblade War in her eyes—is part of why she's so messed up here. But the rest of KHIII and its ending is canon to this, as is all our theories about where the series is going next.**

**And to be clear… though this is a "dark Kairi" story… so far, at least (I might change my mind about this later. IDK) she's not literally getting darkness within her heart—as she's a Princess of Heart, and that shouldn't be impossible—she's just moreso experiencing the emotions that usually lead to darkness, but don't with her because of her unique makeup.**

**Also, last chapter Kairi had no idea that who she met was the Master of Masters—or even who the Master of Masters is—but since then, she's figured it out.**

**And I've only edited this massive chapter once (oops), so if there are any weird mistakes... that's why. Sorry**

**Magic in the Midst**

**Kairi's PoV**

"Kairi, I was too hard on you," Riku began, as he found her in what was still her favorite place somehow: the paopu tree. "I never should've said what I did. Especially when losing Sora's been so… hard. "I know- I know you were just thinking of the greater good. I would have killed Ansem, I mean…"

Except that Riku was being way too hard on _himself_ here, and Kairi knew it. But since she didn't exactly want to give up her newfound strength yet—and admitting that Riku had actually been right about her would make her have to do it—she selfishly didn't correct him.

Instead, she decided to focus on what really mattered—as she scooted closer to Riku, so he'd be able to hear her perfectly as she said this. "Master Yen Sid thinks he may have a new idea for where Sora may be. Another world that we haven't been to yet… But Riku, I'm scared. The Master of Masters said that every world I'd go to on an upcoming adventure would be tied to my- my anger. And first off, I don't know if I'm ready to face that worst part of myself. But it also makes me think that we won't find Sora at all. Because how could he, of all people, ever be in a place connected to _that_?"

Riku smiled at Kairi sympathetically, as he wrapped an arm around her shoulder… which was probably the only thing even remotely keeping her connected to the World at this point. Seeing this nice side of Riku again—from before he'd become obsessed with seeing the outside world and had lost himself some (huh. If _that_didn't sound familiar right now)… that- that had been the Riku she'd had a crush on even before Sora. But as it was—as nice as _this_ was—Kairi would never love another besides Sora.

And having another guy touch her now, almost felt like a betrayal to him, even though she also knew it was really, _really_ stupid to think that way—because of _course_ her best friend should be allowed to try and comfort her… even if she didn't at all deserve it.

"Kairi, I'm not going to lie… when I was told, in Castle Oblivion, that I would only see beings of darkness—and places tied to my own darkness—I probably felt exactly what you're feeling now, or close to. But as Sora would probably say… there's always a light at the end of the tunnel. I definitely found my own there, in learning how to use light and darkness back to back. So you- you gotta believe the same about yourself.

"Especially since I know something you don't. It would seem this so called 'Master' was wrong. Master Yen Sid told me that the world of 'Andalasia New York' is a happy one. And that the reason he thinks Sora is there, is because… Sora's already left wherever we were first sensed him, and now Yen Sid thinks Sora will be going only to _joyful_ worlds: because- because he thinks he's more likely to find _you _in those, and because he wants to show you those kinds of things himself… We're going to find Sora, Kairi. Believe in that."

And Riku came over to Kairi and put a flower behind her ear like he had done when they were kids, and Kairi leaned into his touch and allowed herself to believe there could be a good future… for just a moment.

…

Master Yen Sid ended up being absolutely right that the next world she would go to would be a wonderful one.

Kairi landed on the planet the moment that a giant singalong was about to take place—though she hadn't known that at the time, of course—and she saw her charge, Giselle (that she would learn the name of later) right away, based on the way she was dressed and how she soon started singing. Basically? It wasn't hard for Kairi to spot another Princess of Heart like herself, and how she prayed that this woman would end up leading her to Sora as she tried to help her!

But since this world was so glorious—with bright colors everywhere, sunny colors, sweet people, and more delicious food than Kairi had ever been able to dream of—she had no idea why an acidic apple came flying towards both Giselle and a man on a bicycle. Only the Princess' great reflexes with the Keyblade kept both of them safe… and the apples even began to try and burn through Destiny's Embrace and shatter them the way Riku's Way to the Dawn had. But Kairi uttered a quick "curaga" on her blade and was thankfully able to save it in time.

But Kairi did not make Giselle and Robert's (she'd learn his name later, too) acquaintance right away. No. She lost track of them in the massive throng of people, and instead ended up in a diner—at first just thinking she'd order something to eat and figure out her options then—when she saw what had to be the Princess' prince based on what he was wearing, and the way he looked into the distance hopefully: the way that Kairi had often seen Sora look right before they were reunited again.

"I _will_ find Giselle, Nathaniel. This hard world will not deter me!"

"As it shouldn't, sire," the man who Kairi could only assume was "Nathaniel" answered back to his prince before scurrying away somewhat suspiciously, but Kairi didn't give it much mind.

Instead, she went to sit beside the sweet—and somewhat clueless, it would seem—prince, who reminded Kairi a bit of her Sora, if she was being honest. She reached her hand out to shake the man's hand and said with start of a smile, "Hello there. My name is Kairi… and I think I may have seen the woman you're looking for. And I think I could find her for you, if I really tried."

"Could you really, kind lady?!" And the prince was on his feet at once, before then kneeling and then kissing Kairi's hand—something that made her feel guilty like Riku hugging her had, but she tried to force the feeling down—"Oh, you doing that would be worth more than all the money in all the lands. What can I do to make your search up to you? Just name it, and it's yours."

Normally, Kairi would have told this prince—Edward, he was whispering his name to her now—that that wasn't necessary. That she only wanted to help because it was in her heart to do so… but Kairi also couldn't help feeling this was her chance and lead to Sora, perhaps!

Sora had always aided others in the worlds on their quests, that would then take him further in his own, right? Maybe the same thing was happening here. Perhaps Edward was meant to find Sora for her, and she'd find Giselle for him.

"I- I'm looking for a lost love, too. A 'Sora'. And if you happen to see him, and could just let me know, I'd appreciate it."

And having found a camaraderie with each other, the two began telling each other stories about their beloved. Prince Edward told Kairi that Giselle had the most beautiful singing voice he'd ever heard—and the sweetest heart… And Kairi told him about some of her and Sora's more childish moments: of when Kairi was sad that she had swallowed her tooth, and was worried the Tooth Fairy wouldn't give her a dollar because of it, and Sora had then pulled out his own falling tooth via a door, and given it to her.

But also of their older times together, too: of how, oddly enough, Kairi had felt more butterflies when Sora's fingers had just brushed against hers when she'd given him Mickey's letter, than when he'd given her her lucky charm back slightly before that… and how that had just kept growing and growing.

The two of them—totally lost in their love for others… and not even realizing people had gathered around them to listen to their "fantastical narratives"—probably would have continued on there, if Kairi hadn't started hearing an ominous voice in her head… coming from the kitchen, it sounded like, and talking about killing someone? If she'd heard them correctly?! And if she hadn't started feeling darkness in that exact moment… that she know wasn't coming from Prince Edward, but where, then?

"I- I've got to get out of here," Kairi whispered, hating herself that she was leaving early through this cute chipmunk's—who'd just shown up on the scene's—attempts to tell them something about Giselle. "I- I promise I'll find your Giselle for you… but if I don't leave right now, I'm going to do something stupid." _Like find this caster of darkness and sell my soul to them—or it—in order to find Sora_.

And as Kairi pushed her way out the door, she heard this voice in her head: _'Oh, little princess—much like Giselle here—you have no idea who you're dealing with, or even what you've begun for yourself, do you?_

…

It must have been Kairi's day to go to restaurants—despite the fact that she was seasoned Keyblade wielder, who should have been out on the streets fighting Heartless… wasn't that what she'd wanted and what the worlds usually seemed to want?—because after a lot of searching; and not before she fought a Heartless version of herself, that some mysterious force had made who had kept taunting her about her stupidity—Kairi found herself going to a pizzeria just for a bite to eat, since she was getting famished.

And who should she find there but the very princess she was looking for? Kairi saw Giselle with the man from earlier and an adorable little girl, that made Kairi think that if she ever found Sora… she did want to have kids with him one day.

Kairi walked over to Giselle—not even worrying about ordering food at the moment—and prepared to tell her the good news about her prince Edward… but had to pause when she heard Giselle seeming to insinuate that she was on a date with this man—and almost seeming to be excited about it—before he hastily corrected her? Perhaps?

Kairi was about to turn around then, thinking that maybe this woman wasn't Giselle, after all, or to maybe ask Prince Edward if he was maybe confused about their relationship to each other if this was Giselle, when the orange-haired-girl saw Kairi and stopped her.

"Uhh? Excuse me? Miss?" and Kairi could only assume that Giselle was talking to her, since—other than Giselle—she was the only woman in this place, as the rest of the restaurant seemed to have been rented out for some father and son bonding, if the signs were anything to go off of. "I believe I saw you out and about in New York today. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw you sending a flying apple from out of our way. And I'd like to thank you. What a strong and kind heart you must have, to do such a thing."

"What?" asked the dashing man beside Giselle—who, if Kairi was being honest, was probably closed to what her idea of "tall, dark, and handsome" had been when she was young. "Giselle, there were thousands of people out and about today. You can't really be sure that-"

"It was no problem," Kairi was already answering, though, before those doubtful words had even caught up with her. "Protecting people is sort of what I do. I was happy to help," …But if only she'd been good at helping people when Sora had disappeared—and been conscious, in order to stop him from senselessly sacrificing himself for her—but- it was probably best to not dwell on that now (even if she wanted to); these strangers didn't need to know all about her woes. No, she would smile for them and pretend everything was alright, instead. Wasn't that how she always was with strangers now?

It was only around her friends, that she showed how broken she was… but then when she did, she had to even wonder if that was a good thing to do. Because Riku had been hating on her some for it, hadn't he?

"You're a hero?!" the little girl with the cute curls asked Kairi, as Kairi took a seat beside them… thinking that if they were going to be having a conversation here, she ought to be polite and not block everyone's view of the TV. "That's so cool! Do you think you could give me hero lessons?!"

"I'm- I'm really not a hero," Kairi argued, as she put a gentle hand on the child's hand—to try and let her know that she wasn't disagreeing with her because of her, but since she hated herself. "I'm anything but… And while dreams of… heroing are lovely; and some day you may become one yourself and it will be wonderful for you… try to enjoy the simple things of being a child while you can."

"Yes, thank you! The last thing I want, is for Morgan to think that doing dangerous things is good. And Giselle's right: thank you for bouncing that ball out of the way for us today. I'd thought it was a ball, but it was an apple? That's crazy. But thank you. I'm Robert, by the way." He reached his hand out for Kairi to shake it, and she did.

And the moment she touched him—maybe it was her Princess of Heart powers—Kairi could tell that Robert had once been a bright light, similar to her, until he'd become jaded like her. And Kairi felt a certain camaraderie there. And while she'd still try to do what she could for Prince Edward… Kairi thought that if Giselle had found someone to balance her out, when she was maybe too idealistic otherwise, was probably a good thing.

"Ahh. I guess I'll do that, then…" Morgan said with a bitter edge to her voice as she began coloring again, but still with a grin for Kairi.

And maybe that's why Kairi chose to then tell everyone gathered who she was (even if she despised who she was). "…Kairi. My name's Kairi, and it's nice to meet you all." And here Kairi bowed at them, that the three seemed to appreciate, but Kairi also thought she'd done something wrong by their reactions. Oh well.

"It's nice to meet you, Kairi. And while I get where you're coming from—because if I hadn't tried to rescue Pip, the chain of events that led me to this strange place may have never happened—I'm also glad that I did it. Because Pip deserves to live, of course. And this land is magical, despite everything, and I never would have experienced without my actions… so I'm here, but I'm holding onto my love for my past through my memories."

"You tell them, Giselle," Morgan supplied, and Kairi noticed that she was giving the woman she was coloring orange hair, too.

Maybe… maybe Giselle was right. Perhaps she was looking at this whole thing wrong. And could she, too, now balance her sense of reality with that old idealism somehow?

And it was just when Kairi was about to tell Morgan of some of Sora and Riku's adventures-to prove she wasn't completely against teens saving the world-that the chipmunk Kairi had seen earlier appeared on the scene!

"Pip!" Giselle exclaimed, as both Giselle and Morgan-and even Kairi herself cooed over him-and when he told Giselle that her prince was there to save her, Kairi cut in that she had meant to tell her that.

But then somehow or another, Pip ended up in a pizza, as a man was trying to get him, and Morgan was frantic.

And when the pizza went in the oven, Kairi had never felt worse in her life.

And when she proved to be the only one who could calm Morgan down-as she got lost in her tales of Chip and Dale-Robert and Giselle invited her over.

…

Later that night, once Kairi had exhausted herself in trying to assure Morgan that Pip—from what she had seen—seemed plenty resourceful and had surely escaped with his wits about him, she exited the little girl's room to find Robert and Giselle in some sort of argument…

Well, that wasn't entirely true. First, she'd unintentionally overheard Robert saying how his first wife had left him and that had made him wake up to the idea that true love didn't exist. And Kairi's heart had gone out to him, because even while she still strongly believed in what she and Sora had and always would… it had been losing him that had made _her_ somewhat wake up to the horrors of the world.

But after that, Robert began trying to Giselle that Prince Edward wasn't coming for her for whatever reason—something that Kairi had been about to step in and correct—until Giselle sort of ended up snapping herself. And that was what really called on Kairi to make herself known, despite the fact that none of this was really her business at all. Because… was Giselle also somewhat waking up like she had?

Giselle seemed furious for the first time that Kairi had ever seen (not that she'd known her much thus far, to be fair). But she seemed oddly… thrilled about it, as she laughed _gleefully_ at the fact that she was angry… before Robert walked off, after Giselle's hand had found its way to his chest.

Kairi remembered what it had felt like to have Sora's chest pressed up against her own, as he had saved her from Terra-Xehanort… and it was that, more than anything, that made Kairi finally decide to make her presence known and to tell Giselle what was in her heart. "You- you have a right to angel, Giselle. All- all people do. And don't let anyone tell you any differently, okay? Especially if someone you love has hurt you… intentionally, or not."

Giselle didn't say anything for a long time—and Kairi was beginning to wonder if she would—so she occupied her time by looking at the holes in the curtains, that it looked as though Giselle had used to make her dresses… the strange pizza boxes that actually seemed to hold something called "doughnut sandwiches", and the homework of Morgan's that was littering the couch and hadn't found its way into her schoolbag yet. There was such a nice, normal life here… and Kairi selfishly wanted to be part of it… Or rather, a life like this with Sora.

"Kairi... if you don't mind my asking, do you _prefer_ the emotion of anger? You're kind of acting like it, from what I've seen—or maybe hiding your true heart underneath it, a bit like Nancy—not! that I'm badmouthing _you or_ Nancy! You're such a lovely girl, who I sense is trying to be there for everyone here. And as for Nancy… deep down, I sense that she wants something magical like what I have with my Edward."

Wow. Giselle had sized Kairi up even better than Naminé ever had. And that was saying something!

Though Kairi felt awful, with what Giselle had taken to mean her preferring being mad to anything else. But what was worse, was that Kairi was starting to imagine she was right. And if she was, the Master of Masters might as well have taken her for his plan now!

But even if she was doomed, she would stir Giselle in the right way. She would! Kairi promised herself, as she clenched her fists so tightly that her nails drew blood from her skin that way.

"I- I'm starting to think one needs both positive and negative sets of emotions in order to be whole. And since if I'm right, it actually affects you, Giselle, as a New Seven Hearts... I'm going to tell you the truth that I probably shouldn't."

"…You and I both have hearts of pure light. But everyone else in the world—save for five others like us—have darkness in their hearts, preferably in balance with their light. I- I used to think we could Seven Hearts could still feel the negative emotions that would lead to darkness in others' hearts—without it doing the same for us—but now I'm not so sure.

"Maybe the way I am, with the light in my heart, makes me broken so that I can't understand those who have to deal with a lot of tragedies in their lives… and that's why they leave me. But I'm not saying _you're_like that, Giselle... I'm probably just all kinds of a freak, because I wield a Keyblade unlike any other sort of Princess thus far."

But as all of what she'd just said caught up with her, Kairi instantly regretted it. And for it, Kairi almost thought she deserved for the Master of Masters to show up that very moment and give her a thrashing or something.

Kairi knew that she hadn't been applying any of her self-loathing comments to Giselle... but why even _say_any of them out loud, then, on the off-chance that Giselle would still take it the wrong way?

Kairi was about to apologize for everything she'd just done, but before she could Giselle was throwing her arms around her. "…It sounds to me that you've suffered very much, Kairi, and I'm _so_ sorry for that... You've given me a lot to think over, and I believe most of it. Before, I honestly would have thought you were wrong about needing to feel things like anger, sadness, and envy... but through comparing and contrasting those with their opposite, isn't that how we know the good?"

But even with Giselle offering Kairi an olive branch here, she still wanted to try and make things right with her. She thought that the new Princess was perhaps being too kind to her, like Anna, Rapunzel, and even Elsa.

But when the woman pulled away from Kairi with a calculating look in her eyes, the auburn-haired-girl thought Giselle must have figured out all the secrets of the multiverse, and she believed in her.

…

Kairi couldn't sleep that night, as everything she had thought about and discussed with Giselle hours before—and memories of everything she had been through post-Sora's disappearance—was causing a conga line of trauma in her heart.

So when she eventually heard what sounded like a crash at the door and loud voices, Kairi partly thought she was still dreaming—from the few hours she had been able to sleep—but when she heard the angry tone of Prince Edward, and what sounded like a squeak from Robert, she knew that things had gone to hell in a handbasket and she _darted_ out of bed. And with Destiny's Embrace acting like more of an extension of her arm than it ever had before, she stopped Prince Edward from dispatching Robert just in time: as she blocked Prince Edward's weapon with her own.

Not having to be told to move twice, Robert moved over to Giselle's side as they both tried to scream to Prince Edward what was going on.

"Fair Kairi, was I wrong to trust you?! Were you also a part of the hideous scheme that took my Giselle away from me all along?!" as he asked this question, the prince was able to cut Kairi's cheek and—in her shock for that—nearly stab it into her chest. But Kairi simply put a hand over the wound to halt some of the worst of its attributes, and then kicked at him so that he fell into a beanbag chair behind them.

Kairi aimed her Keyblade at the Prince, and was about to perform a "Stop" spell on him, if necessary—despite the fact that she didn't want to seem like she was a witch, to add fuel to Prince Edward's theory—but it wasn't necessary when Giselle ran to Edward's side and embraced him.

"Edward, dear, I fell into this land by accident and these kind people have been helping me ever since."

"Oh!" Edward exclaimed, with his demeanor changing completely—back to the man Kairi had actually liked—as he smiled at everyone and offered them his hand. "Then you have my most sincere thank yous, peasants."

And having had enough excitement for one morning—for one life, really—Kairi went back to sleep.

She'd deal with whatever Kingdom Hearts was trying to tell her when she had more sleep or caffeine in her system. Preferably both.

…

When Kairi next awoke—far into the night this time. Oops—it was to find out that Prince Edward and Giselle had gone on some sort of date. And while that seemed right to Kairi—and what she'd been aiming for here along—she also couldn't deny the sense of wrongness she felt, when she saw how heartbroken Robert looked about it.

And as she did notice that, something dawned on Kairi—as she set to making him the kind of tasty coffee that Master Yen Sid had taught her to make with magic—"That's why you invited me here too, isn't it? Because I feel in this world, people don't trust easily and wouldn't just allow strangers into their homes so easily. You can tell I'm kind of like Giselle. And while you don't love me, like you do her, you don't want all magic to leave you and Morgan if she ends up leaving you."

And the way that Robert looked at her then, as he blew at the hot drink that Kairi had just put into his hands, told her that she'd hit the nail on the head. "You're under no obligation to stay, of course. Neither was, nor is, Giselle. I just wanted to help you both, when I realized you were innocents in New York, of all places, with nowhere to stay and nowhere to protect you… And if you're able to give a sense of fun to Morgan—that I can't give her—before you leave, who am I to begrudge you that?"

_But you are fun to Morgan_, Kairi wanted to argue. _I could tell that from how she was reading the Madame Curie book, you obviously gave her, before she went to bed last night. She was doing this for you_. But she didn't.

Instead, Kairi decided to focus on another question she'd had since entering this world. "I guess I am a bit like Giselle… and come from a place where people believe in one and onlys. So I've been confused by the feelings that I've seen Giselle show for both you and Prince Edward. But I've got to ask: do you think Giselle is your one and only soulmates?" _Like Sora is mine, even though I had some crush on Riku when I was younger?_

And Kairi could tell by his silence, that Robert thought the answer was "yes", or would have liked it to be. But he'd never say it aloud… probably because he had loved his ex-wife, and maybe thought that she had been a "one and only" for him at the time… Or because he'd become too jaded to voice that he still believed in that stuff, or because he thought it would be inappropriate to discuss or didn't want to get his heart broken again.

But Kairi knew the answer. And it made her sad, as she took a dainty sip from her own coffee and judged the world. "Life isn't fair, is it?"

"No. No it is not."

…

Kairi learned the next day—after she hadn't learned her lesson about getting enough sleep at all, for she had gone out into the night again and fought Heartless after Heartless and Nobody after Nobody—that there was some sort of ball that evening, that both Prince Edward and Giselle and Robert and this Nancy were planning on intending.

And while a side of Kairi had been tempted to tell them this was a bad idea—because Robert and Giselle seeing each other all dolled up would surely hurt them even more, with what couldn't be; Kairi remembered well how Sora had reacted to seeing her older and much prettier in the Castle That Never Was, after all—she'd been unable to deny Giselle and Morgan when they invited her to their "girls night out" to help Giselle get ready.

Giselle was also suggesting that Kairi go. And who was she to say no to that, when Kairi was still very much a girl herself and would take any excuse to wear a pretty new dress?

So out shopping—and eventually to the salon—they went. Giselle bought an elegant baby purple dress that was almost mermaid and hugged all of her curves… and Kairi went with a similarly cut light brown one (though faux snakeskin)… because she had once dreamed she'd find Sora again while wearing that color partly. And if she could try and make that dream a reality, Kairi would gladly do it.

At the salon, she also gave herself a buzz cut—because it would help with all her fighting—whereas Giselle just nicely straightened her hair. But since with her hair option, Kairi knew she had—arguably—made herself uglier than she'd ever looked before, she made sure to go all out with her makeup and jewelry to doll herself up even more.

But it was as the hairdresser was adding some wave to Giselle's locks—and Kairi was buying the best smelling hair gel that she could, to even try and spike her hair some—that Kairi overheard Morgan telling Giselle that boys only wanted one thing.

And while it was clear that the young girl had no idea what she was saying—thank the light—Kairi couldn't help becoming livid, that this was always said against boys. Sora wasn't like this! Riku wasn't! And neither were any of the Guardians of Light, for that matter!

…But then as Kairi realized she was getting riled up at something as silly as this, she guessed that the Master of Masters must have been right about her and that maybe she was doomed, after all.

And Sora… he would surely never love her as she was now, right?

So as it was… dark thoughts plagued Kairi, and it ruined a lot of her, Giselle, and Morgan's time together—though she tried not to let it, and to point out bunnies in the clouds before the taxi driver dropped her off back home—and even her half-an-hour in a cab with Prince Edward and Giselle as they rode to the dance together.

But once they reached their destination and Kairi stepped outside, she found her mood improving exponentially.

Unlike the rest of New York, this part of it seemed to be kept pretty pristine: so Kairi had no doubt that someone had been hired to sweep outside of this theater, which made her appreciate the brown sidewalk of this world for the first time since she'd seen it.

Kairi was also impressed by the wide screen TVs just above the building they were about to enter, that were showing various pictures of the inside and announcing in glitter where they were at.

Kairi had never seen something quite so beautiful. And she bet her sister—the artist Naminé—would have appreciated it, too.

"Well, shall we my ladies?" Prince Edward asked, as he kindly made sure Kairi and Giselle's coats were securely on them—even though they were about to go inside—since it was a bit chilly.

And they followed the crowd and went in, and into the most gorgeous room Kairi had ever beheld.

It looked a lot like the floor of the ball pit that Sora had gotten to explore on his last adventure—Kairi knew this from Naminé having shown her some of Sora's memories, on the off-chance that it would help them find him.

And everyone was decked out to the nines, and seemed to be having the greatest time. And the punch bowl seemed to be made of ice, if you could believe it!

And there seemed to be a purple gem theme that permeated the entire room, that even made it into the balloons above them.

"Breathtaking!" Kairi gasped, just as Giselle came up to her side and smiled—laying a friendly hand on Kairi's shoulder as she did so.

Prince Edward took both his date and Kairi's coats _off_ of them now. And as he did so, Kairi noticed Robert—and who she assumed to be Nancy—before them and she could tell that Giselle did, too.

Nancy looked absolutely gorgeous—with her hair in stylish pigtails, as she wore a green dress with red accents on it.

Robert had cleaned up well, too, as he wore a black tuxedo with his hair slicked back. Kairi was reminded of school events that she and Sora had dragged Riku to—as he had never wanted to go to them—but he always stole the show at.

Robert and Giselle started making small talk… and with that, Kairi felt somewhat out of place and didn't know what to do. She wanted to tell them both to follow their hearts, but how could she when hurt would come from it?

She had followed her heart and fought in the Keyblade War, and Sora had died because of it...

So to distract herself from the pain and all of the confusion, Kairi introduced herself to Nancy and then suggested that he and Nancy dance together, when it became clear the first waltz was intended for a man with a woman he _hadn't_ asked out that evening.

As Kairi stood on the sidelines, many young men sweetly began asking her to dance… but she turned them all down, for they were not Sora or even Riku.

And it was at that point that she—ridiculously, in her eyes—began crying, and wondering what had happened to the tough girl she'd become, as she found herself almost becoming _jealous_ of all of the couples before her.

It was then that Kairi heard the same mysterious voice from before. _'__Oh! Poor dear Kairi: doomed to be forever injured by this cruel, cruel world. But, hey: maybe it doesn't_ have _to be that way. I don't want Giselle to inherit my throne, because she and my son will force me off it to follow the rules… But if I share my home with you, you won't… will you, Kairi? After all, I can tell you care little about rules anymore and only want stability. Or, moreover… perhaps I can give you what you want from the depths of your very heart!_

And before Kairi's very heart, a Heartless in the form of Sora was created… Though "Heartless" might not have been the right word for it, because that seemed to imply the Shadow Soras or Anti-Sora that Riku had once created…

This dark Sora was so close to the real thing in his Anti-Form or Rage Form—even though, deep down, Kairi knew that it was still a Heartless—that Kairi could have almost believed that it was him, and that she'd found him at long last!

But she also wasn't stupid enough to fall for this trap. Now that she thought about it, this was the second time that Kairi had heard about possible danger for Giselle. And at the top of the stairs, Kairi could see someone trying to give Giselle an apple or something!

The Princess of Heart tried with all her might to get to her, but she found that she couldn't move… because—metaphorically, and even somewhat literally—she was split in two: her heart wanted to do the right thing and help her new friend. But her body, that had somewhat been succumbing to wants and desires in this place, wanted nothing but the Sora before her… even if he was a fake, it didn't care.

And when he did a "come hither" motion, Kairi found her body flowing to him of its own accord… and then it was following him into the dark corridor he'd just made on the floor—as so many screamed out for Giselle in that exact moment.

...

Kairi, somehow, became aware that it had been moreso her astral body that had followed this "Sora"—as her physical one was _desperately_ trying to regain consciousness in order to help out—on the ballroom floor, but there seemed like there was nothing she could do to cement the two back together.

And the most awful part of all of this? Kairi thought that if she had had to fall, she had fallen for the wrong reason. For the most part—though Sora _had_ been misled before—it usually had nothing to do with him chasing phantom versions of her. She was supposed to be like Sora, wasn't she? And here she had pulled a Riku, almost, when he had listened to Maleficent's honeyed promises about saving her. Just what was wrong with her?!

And it was when Kairi was having these despairing thoughts—and tearing at the little hair she had in her anger—that a memory of Sora's somehow came her way... of when he had fought Roxas for the first time and the former Nobody had been raining two Keyblades down on him, and Sora had blocked them with a spin and with just Decisive Pumpkin on hand.

Idly, Kairi had to wonder if she was maybe doing the same thing against the Sora Heartless' physical body now (because it seemed it hadn't really come to this place and had tricked her. Was it still up there with her body, that was only starting to come awake?)... she felt in her body that she probably was, but she didn't really know.

Not when all her consciousness wanted to do, was to reach down and touch the face that she saw on Sora's heart platform in his memory with Roxas here.

In said memory, Roxas was now asking Sora why the Keyblade had chosen him, and realizing it was because he loved both her and Riku _so_ much—as he stood between pictures of both of them—and Kairi thought she might cry. But she also thought she'd done enough of that for a lifetime, so she held it back.

'_Are_ you somehow talking to me here, Sora? ...Telling me that I'm _not_ a fool for losing myself, just for a moment, in my love for you? Or… if you were able to connect to me in this world, are you saying that you're in this Andalasia New York?!'

But as he _had_ done in some of his second journey there, Sora ignored Kairi and she got no answer. And she was left trying to figure it all out for herself.

But wasn't that how Sora himself had been on most of his quests? She knew when Ansem Seeker of Darkness had tried to behead Sora, for instance, that he had thrown Donald and Goofy out beforehand.

So, holding onto the belief that if Sora could triumph alone, she could do the same… Kairi decided to be strong just like Sora, and she blinked her eyes open.

And whatever the reason, the dark Sora had been encompassed by light and was already starting to dissipate as he cried out… and Kairi almost bawled her eyes out for him, or reached for him, but she didn't: for through his form, Kairi saw Giselle fighting a giant dragon outside and she knew that that should be her priority.

The massive blue dragon was speaking to Giselle in that haunting female's voice that she had now heard three times, and had climbed to the top of a tower with Robert in hand! And Giselle only had a sword to try and fend her off with!

Kairi summoned her Keyblade to aid her once more, and was awe-struck when it wasn't Destiny's Embrace she was seeing… but somehow Oathkeeper. And that was all she really needed to know, wasn't it?

Kairi was just about to run outside into the rain, when she was stopped by a plump, blond man, who was wearing outfits that spoke to her of Giselle's and Prince Edward's. "Princess of Heart, that beast is Prince Edward's mother, the queen Narissa. She wants Giselle to die so that she won't have to give up her throne for her, and I'm ashamed to say I tried to help her with that... and with some plans against you."

"We- we all make mistakes, Sir, but what matters is that you recognized yours, and told me about it so I can help stop things before it becomes too late. That's what matters. And I'm sure Prince Edward feels the same way," for it was suddenly clear to Kairi that this was the man she'd seen scurrying away from the Prince when she'd first met him. And just behind them, Prince Edward smiled at this man from his court to seemingly tell him that Kairi was right.

But before Kairi could witness anymore of this catharsis with them, she used flowmotion to climb the dragon's back and was then using "Flare" to try and light it up.

Meanwhile, Giselle and Pip were cleverly attacking Narissa's head with blade and weight.

But Narissa noticed what Kairi was doing right away, and sent her tail flying into the Princess' face to knock her away. And somehow, it was not the fact that she was flying backwards into a building that Kairi noticed while she was losing, but the rough indents the spike of Narissa's tail had just left in her face. They hurt.

"Ohhhhhh? Is the selfish Princess Kairi finally here to help her friend Giselle, when before she was lost in her own woes? Well, guess what: it doesn't matter. Either way, I'll smash you both into smithereens and still play myself as the victim here!" Narissa hissed, as she also sent Gargoyle Heartless Kairi's way—that tried to pick her up via her light weight and throw her back to the ground, once she'd finally gotten her bearings.

But Kairi resisted like it was nothing. "Holy!" she cried out, as she released a beam of light from her Keyblade that then washed the world in its vibrance. But while it was enough to keep Narissa's tail from moving, it didn't seem enough to do more to her.

Kairi was about to worry for that fact, but then she heard Giselle's voice as she slid down the woman's back and stabbed her with her sword. "Kairi isn't selfish. She's one of the dearest friends I've never know—who has told me many truths, even though it's hurt her!"

"Giselle-" Kairi choked out at her friend's easy defense of her. And just as she did, she decided to help Giselle with the final blow. "Pearl!" Kairi screamed, as she did an attack similar to Holy... but that separated itself somewhat, so that it could hit every target on Narissa that Kairi wanted it to.

And as Kairi did that, Giselle batted the witch on the head one last time and then jumped into the air so she could free Robert from her claw... but then they were falling out of her hand and down the roof!

Except... except that Kairi saw they were fine, and now kissing on said roof.

Deciding to leave them alone for just a moment, Kairi returned to the ball room... where she saw Edward and Nancy running away somewhere together? Huh. It seemed they had done the switcheroo on mates, after all. They would probably be fine…

But Kairi wanted to make sure, anyway, and to finally give this "Andalasia" place some exploring. And when she got there, she saw that time moved somewhat differently there (it also looked somewhat different here: more like the worlds she was used to seeing, whereas the other one had seemed more like the Pirate world Sora had told her about… or so she guessed).

Nathaniel, who had once worked for Queen Narissa, was writing a book about everything he'd been through and an agent by his side seemed _very_ interested in it.

And in the background—as they looked through books on shelves to try and find inspiration for what Nathaniel's book should look like—Edward and Nancy were planning a wedding and inviting Kairi to it, when they got all the kinks worked out… which she of course agreed to.

And then Kairi was feeling a weight on her shoulder and again seeing the cute chipmunk from earlier. In a much deeper voice than Kairi had been expecting of him—though, to be fair, she hadn't thought he could talk at all—he was telling her, "It seems to me, that—for the time being at least—little Giselle doesn't need me anymore. But it seems like you could use a shoulder to cry on, sweet girl. Mind if I go with you on your adventure?"

For the first time in a long time, Kairi truly smiled—thinking that this was how Sora must have felt whenever he had gotten Summons before—"No… I don't at all. And thank you. But first, I think we should go back and see Giselle and get her permission first."

And back to see Giselle, they went… Or, moreover, back to see Morgan first: as Robert and Giselle were in her room, reading her a bedtime story about Twelve Dancing Princesses, and Kairi had been unable to deny helping to read it to her, too.

It was when the adults had safely exited Morgan's room when she was asleep, that hugs and thank yous were given.

"Well, I can't speak for Giselle, of course… But I think she'd be thrilled with you taking Pip as a thank you, since you helped save me and always believed in us… and love, deep down."

"And that's- that's why I actually have to go!" Kairi explained, as she looked at her two new friends in turn, so they'd see how serious this was and maybe finally know the real her. "Because- Because there's a reason I saw myself in everyone here—and also why I've become so jaded—my- my boyfriend died… but I think that he's out there, and I can save him. I just need to try really hard, and all the help I can get."

And before Kairi could even blink, she found herself in a hug from Giselle again—as the other Princess of Heart even kissed her cheek this time. "Then, yes: please take Pip with you. And if you need my help, I'll even be content to leave here and help you for a little while, if need be. But thinking of here: always know that you're always welcome back. Pip, Kairi, take care of each other on the long road."

And as Pip nuzzled into Kairi's neck and she giggled, she found that neither one of them had to be told that twice.

And then—right then—Kairi thought she heard Sora's voice for the first time in years. "K-K-Kairi, go to- go to a world where you think I became the strongest. There's something for you there."

And as a tear slid down Kairi's eye, that both Robert and Giselle tried to wipe away for her, she thought she knew exactly where she was going to next.

**Author's Note: I'm sorry that this took me so long to write/post. I wrote some of it on Microsoft Word… and that was actually somewhat my downfall, since it took me forever to type it up after that.**

**And after Re:Mind came out and fixed some of my worries about Kairi going forward, I wasn't sure if this story was necessary anymore and if I should finish it. But I definitely want to, so here we are**

**Enchanted is also a dream world for me, and I wanted it in this story one way or another… but it was really hard for me to write—perhaps for obvious reasons—and I rewrote a lot of it. Hopefully it's okay in the end.**

**I actually wanted to do stuff with Nancy, but it didn't pan out. Prince Edward also sort of disappears, which is a shame since he and Kairi were bonding at first (and they do still have that bond, don't get me wrong). But perhaps it makes sense, that this moreso focused on Giselle and Robert in the end (and Kairi's relationship with them), like the film.**


	4. I Do Not Fear Death

**Author's Note: ****So… I think I decided with the Enchanted chapter—and am carrying it over with the rest of this story—that the Disney worlds aren't going to be one-to-one what happens in their movies, since KH was at its best when it didn't do that (like with KH1).**

**Also… when I was first reading this chapter, I felt like Pip wasn't in it enough—so I kept adding in scenes—but upon editing it, I realize he's in it TOO much and it's kind of annoying… But I felt like I couldn't really cut the scenes out. Like, I decided right when he was about to meet Riku, that he'd been in it enough and that I wasn't going to have him in it the rest of the chapter… but then I realized I meant to have an introduction between him and Riku right there—and I didn't want to risk forgetting to do that later, if I left it out here—so I had to change my mind about that. So… just suffer with it in this chapter, I guess (I'm sorry:(). And hopefully it shouldn't be this bad in the future ones.**

**I Do Not Fear Death**

**Sora's PoV**

'Kairi... I can feel that you're looking for me', Sora thought, alone in his prison in a certain place. 'I'm... somewhat worse off than I even was in that Game now... But I know you'll find me. And thanks for never giving up on me."

And having thought everything he needed to at the moment, Sora succumbed to the familiar lull of sleep again and dreamed of life…

**Kairi's PoV**

In order to be strong, Kairi went to one of the hardest worlds she'd heard of from Sora: the Caribbean/

And while she should have been happy about the connection, she'd perhaps found to Sora in the last world... the Princess of Heart couldn't help looking back at what she'd done in Faith and Angel's world, and only feeling despair. She felt horrible about how she'd treated Angel—and Kairi feared that she still might be led to do that same sort of thing, and it scared her. And she wanted to apologize—but there was nothing she could do about it now. Especially not when Pip was shivering in Kairi's pocket in discomfort, obviously feeling her intense emotions too strongly. So Kairi decided to instead focus on the matter at hand.

And the moment Kairi did just that, she thought that something was wrong... because there were no pirate flags on the sea at all?

"Do you think this can possibly be the Caribbean then, Pip? Given the story I just gave you about this place?" Kairi asked her new friend, who was stroking his chin thoughtfully at her question.

How Kairi wished that Riku was here with her, to help make sense of things (and Sora)... because despite their somewhat rocky relationship, they were still (sadly) closer now than they had been in years…

And Kairi'd so very nearly called Riku, just before she'd heard from Sora in Giselle's world... but how could she have, when her lust and jealousy had led to a "Heartless version" of Sora there? Surely Riku would have been disgusted by her actions again…

But Kairi opted to not think of any of that now... Instead, she focused on that she was near a bell, that Sora had perhaps described to her once. So, this was Port Royal, then? And the reason there were no pirate ships nearby was because they would be shot on sight, and the pirates hanged for their crimes?

Before Kairi could think about any of her questions much more, she heard a massive ruckus and turned her attention that way. It seemed that the people here were trying to execute a girl about her age?!

Kairi felt her blood boil for that, as she remembered how women had been treated in some places Sora had told her about: worlds so bad, that he hadn't even wanted to think about them. But with how much Sora loved this place, it couldn't have been one of those. Could it?

"Whoa, Kairi!" said Pip, as he jumped onto her shoulder now. "I can literally feel you getting redder in your anger. Calm down, alright?"

"S-sorry!"

But if Kairi was being honest with herself? She now hated this stammering, uncertain version of herself, too. Perhaps her being anyone was just a lose-lose situation, then…

"Pip, we've got to go save that woman!" Kairi shouted, as she ripped at her dress from New York, so she could better run and fight in it. "Time is of the essence!"

"You don't have to tell me twice!"

And Kairi ran towards the guillotine in the town square. And even from far away, Kairi took in the book the woman was holding—that looked like it had stars on it... stars like the worlds—and prayed that this lady could help her find Sora.

...

The first thing Kairi saw when she was in a sea of people that made her feel very anxious, was that Captain Jack Sparrow was also being tried! It had to be him, based on Sora's descriptions, Kairi thought. The man before her had somewhat dark skin, with eyeliner around his brown eyes and above his mustache and a slight beard? Those were all descriptions that Kairi had heard for Jack. The princess also noticed his dreadlocks, clothes that tried to be fashionable despite being tattered, and his ridiculously large hat.

Kairi ran towards him instantly, and cut off the guillotine that was now mysteriously hanging from his neck. But she knew she wouldn't be thanked for it.

"Come on, Mister Sparrow!" Kairi cried, as she took his hand in hers and began leading him away. "Let us save that woman—and the boy who's with her?—and be on our way!"

"…That's a fascinating sword you have there, missy. You wouldn't happen to be a Bonnie Lass of Zola's, would you? And if you are… by God, you and your lot haven't aged a day." Jack spoke to Kairi, as he punched a guard here and ducked under soldiers there, all while apparently examining Destiny's Embrace.

And while Kairi wanted to be annoyed that he would just assume she was Sora's girlfriend because she had a Keyblade like he did, she was too busy to debate him.

Because a boy who had a light much like Sora's, was about to get a sword through the heart for trying to aid the girl in the blue dress! And Kairi had seen enough pure-hearted boys die, thank you very much... even if she had also been close to killing one herself.

The Light threw herself between the boy and girl, and the ten lances that were coming their way. And she thought that if she died this way, at least she'd go out a hero like Sora had... and maybe she'd even be put out of her misery and get to see him in some sort of afterlife.

But just when Kairi thought it was over for her, because she felt some blades going through her even as she tried to dodge them, she was pulled up and over them... and lived, and joined the ragtag group that had just formed.

And Kairi was eager to follow the older man who had just joined them, telling the group—Captain Jack in particular—that he had the Pearl just before them that they could board, but of course Heartless had to show up at that exact moment... and the nasty Neoshadows, too.

"Oh, fine!" the brunette bellowed as she began to impressively attack the overly-large Shadows with the chains that had bound her—all while Kairi used a quick cure spell on herself, and used aeroga to send some of their enemies flying away from them-"I see you want to grab at me just like men do, and I will give you the award that I do to them."

The boy who was not unlike Sora to Kairi, blushed—as if thinking the woman was talking about him?—and informed her to, "Focus on the fighting right now, Miss Carina," as he kicked at some of the Heartless.

Jack, meanwhile, was stabbing them through their stomachs.

And Mister Gibbs—Kairi was assuming it was Mister Gibbs, anyway—was hitting some over the head with the butt of his sword. But even with all of this, they were getting nowhere fast with the Heartless and the soldiers.

So Kairi put a barrier around herself and her new friends—so nothing could get to them as they ran—and the moment they were aboard the boat, she was instantly demanding answers from Captain Jack. "You- you were right. I am Sora's girlfriend... and he's been lost. Do you think there's anything here that might save him? Especially since he was sort of lost to the sea? Because my name means that... and he died for me."

Jack looked at Kairi with sympathy, she could see, but it was the girl in the blue dress—Carina—who answered Kairi as she seemed to size her up in an excited manner. "The Trident of Poseidon will serve you well, I think, and I'll help you find it. I'm trying to use it to find my father, and Henry is trying to get it to free his own, who is supposedly the Captain of the Flying Dutchman."

Kairi was about to go talk to Henry at this news, but she didn't know if she would've been ecstatic to talk to this son of Will and Elizabeth or not, since those two's story was so similar to hers and Sora's, but Kairi didn't even get the chance to find out how she would have felt, because Mister Gibbs cut off any conversation post-hate, as Jack glared at him. "We will not be going after any legendary artifacts today. It's more than enough that I have Jack here at all, given his bad luck and lack of pulling any weight lately. And I won't be making any of it worse, by repeating the past."

Almost immediately, Captain Jack Sparrow jumped in to argue, saying, "But we need to, mate, to stop Salazar. You remember his horrendousness from what I've told you, aye? Help me defeat him, and there may be an old magic compass in there for you."

And while those two were fighting over that, Pip jumped onto Kairi's head and began fighting for her sake, just as it looked like two other male pirates had been about to? "Yo, old man," said Pip. "Listen to the ladies—and who I'm assuming is your captain—here. For one thing, Kairi's been through enough and deserves her boyfriend back."

But unfortunately, no one was taking Pip seriously... as the captain looked at him with the most displeased look Kairi had ever seen, and deadpanned: "Great. Something else like the monkey Jack."

Kairi sensed that her friend was upset for being so easily dismissed—and she wanted to be there for him, like he just had been for her... but she was too busy making sense of something, that almost had her throwing up over the deck... She'd traveled at least twenty years into this world's future... which shouldn't have been possible, because Henry had just been born when Sora was here a year ago... and now he looked like an adult. That must have been what Jack had been getting at earlier. How had she managed to mess up traveling here so badly... or was this a good thing? Had her heart connecting with Sora's led to this?

Still feeling overheated and like she was going to be sick, Kairi ripped more of her brown dress off with one hand while she held onto the railing of the deck with the other. Near instantly, she felt great about how cool she felt and she breathed a sigh of relief, as Pip went back to hiding behind her hair… and Henry put a hand on her shoulder? "Miss, are you okay?" the young-man questioned. And was it Kairi, or did he sound like he'd gotten used to saying that kind of thing lately, with how easily he could have made her swoon if her heart didn't already belong to Sora?

"I'm fine... I just noticed something. It's no matter." And if the look Jack was giving her was any indication, he must have guessed the same thing she had... or just thought Sora was the luckiest man in the world, for having such a young-looking girlfriend.

"Anyway, Henry… out of all of us, I get the sense that Mister Gibbs will only listen to where you want to go. So direct us somewhere 'nice', I guess. But once we find the Trident, we're going for it."

And then Kairi went over to where the man with the fake eye—and his bigger pal—were stationed, to try to figure out how to help man such a ship.

…

It was when Kairi was being reminded (since she'd known some of this stuff from home) that the left side of the ship was the port and the right was the starboard, that Carina joined Kairi on the deck for fresh fruit and regarded her with a smile.

Meanwhile, the pirates Pintel and Ragetti—who Kairi had recently learned the names of—were kindly trying to fish for her.

"You look like you could use some cheer. Jack Sparrow has convinced Mister Gibbs that we do need the Trident, to defeat some fiend named Salazar, so we're headed in the direction I believe it's in. And here's how we're going to find it." And Carina pulled out the starry diary that Kairi had spied earlier, but up close she could tell there seemed to be some ruby encrusted into it.

"What is this, exactly?" Kairi questioned, as she sat up from where she'd been sitting so she could see the book better. "Jewels from the earth here? Do you think the Trident was buried under ground where these ar-" But Carina was already shaking her head "no" before Kairi had completely finished asking that question.

And seeming curious about what Kairi was talking about, Pip came to see what was going on. And Carina shook her head at his appearance, in a sort of bemused manner. "Somehow, I can believe about your talking pet here, but not these monsters Henry is blathering about. Anyway... I was left at an orphanage by my father... and he left me this journal. The cover of it represents constellations, and is said to lead to the Trident of Poseidon, and surely my father. And after studying star charts all my life, I know where this constellation is in the sky… and so we're heading out that way."

"Is there anything I can do to help?" Kairi queried, as she decided to make herself more useful by swabbing at the deck some. "Wait, actually... what was it you were saying about monsters?"

"She was only speaking of the worst kind," said a voice from beside Kairi's ear. It was Jack... and he seemed grim, as opposed to the usual happy-go-lucky and devil-may-care attitude Kairi had gleaned from him thus far. "Salazar: a ghost who's an enemy of all pirates... including you, lassie."

"A ghost?" Pip asked the question that Kairi had wanted to—and it made her smile-but when she had visions of what this ghost might look like, she definitely didn't smile. He seemed half-human and half-ghost, and parts of his hair and clothes were being torn away from him, into the other realm, as segments of him remained. And that black, villain-type smile from him...

Kairi swallowed, in realizing she felt torn apart like him she was: because didn't she want to be both a Pure Light and someone who had a cruel heart now?

"You see something, don't you?" Henry asked, as he came up beside Kairi now, clearly having taken in her mystified look. "You see something, the way that I can almost see visions of my parents when I look at you."

Utterly confused, Kairi was about to ask why Henry should see his family when he saw her... but then she thought it must have been because Sora had helped shaped their lives... and she and Sora were very much the same since sharing the paopus. So perhaps that was the reason?

"I-" but just as Kairi began speaking, the nightmare she had just seen came to life as day turned into night: the electrified ghosts appeared out of the ether, and walked through their own ship and onto the Black Pearl. And before Kairi knew it, she was being held captive by Salazar and was the defenseless girl once again.

"You were never the gentleman I was, Sparrow," Salazar drawled in a chilling whisper, that made gooseflesh appear all over Kairi's skin, as she tried to get out of the chokehold he had on her. "So, you surely believed that women on a ship were bad luck. So why do you have two here now? Surely they're liabilities... like this."

"...Please," said Kairi, as a single tear sled from her eyes. "If you really are—or were-just like you say... let me go. I'm not even fifteen yet. And I'm on a mission to save someone..."

And he let her go so fast, that Kairi was first mad she hadn't tried that same thing on Master Xehanort… But then she was furious that she hadn't even tried to attack Salazar here, so she charged him now… and swiftly paid the price for it, as Pintel and Ragetti—who had missed everything that was going on, and were happily presenting the fish they'd caught for Kairi—were stabbed through the middle, by Salazar himself and some of his lackeys. And they were coming for the rest of the crew, too, when Jack made the wise decision to careen the ship into an area where you could still see daylight and they were vaporized.

But Salazar, in being far too clever, jumped into the dark ocean with the rest of the crew and disappeared for the time-being, as Kairi ran over to her new friends and tried to heal them again and again and again… but to no avail.

This was what she got for embracing her darkness, wasn't it? Kairi decided as she cried. Why had she ever thought it was a good idea? And yet… she couldn't let it go, either. Not because she didn't want to, but because she couldn't fight the type of it that was settling into her veins even now, like a cancer, as it begged her for revenge against that man… and she wanted to comply.

"Salazar won't let such a thing happen again," Jack quietly warned them all, as they already began the horrible price of trying to give the two lost pirates a sea burial… Why did death have to be so final? Kairi pondered whilst she shook all over. "It was an accident on his part. The Pearl's speed—to allow us get close enough to the setting sun, coupled with Salazar's shock… it won't happen again. When he strikes again, and he will, it'll be fully at night, and when he feels he's had enough time to nurse his wounds. So, we must be ready. And I'm sorry that I've gotten you all into this."

There was a side of Kairi that wondered if something else had saved them... Sora had told her that the goddess Calypso had blessed him with the power of the sea always being his—or something like that—and she wondered if Sora had been watching over them, and he'd made the waves carry them away in that moment. But she didn't say it. Not after her friends Pintel and Ragetti died because of her own stupidity, she certainly didn't—as she wrapped her arms around her torso and just tried to keep herself together right now.

"We need to get to the Trident of Poseidon now. Forget a day's rest and all of that," said Henry, with an urgency that Kairi had never seen in him before, but that reminded her again of a certain leader: her Sora. Henry seemed to be speaking when Carina couldn't here, as she was clearly too shaken to talk of the quest that meant so much to her. Instead, she seemed about to go hide in the captain's cabin… or perhaps in her own head. "It's our only chance against Salazar... because believe you, me, I've faced him before and it will especially be no picnic next time. Perhaps with it, we can free our fathers and they can help."

In the background, away from all of them now, Mister Gibbs was laughing... but to Kairi, he seemed to be doing so without humor. And as much as it somewhat bothered Kairi that he still clearly didn't want to help out, now that they were in whatever they were in... she also felt bad for him. He hadn't wanted to assist Jack for this very reason, so perhaps he would have been well within his rights to refuse.

"Then get back to following the star charts I gave you," Carina urged. "I'll hold lantern light over them, so you can do just that."

No one objected with what Carina had to say, but rather adhered to her commands… all while Kairi stayed locked in her trauma. It seemed to be the story of her life, and she hated it.

"You should go talk to Carina," Pip tried to persuade Kairi now, as he lovingly braided what was left of her hair. "She seemed spooked."

"I know, I want to," Kairi agreed. "But she's busy helping Jack navigate—because I guess it's Jack now. Gibbs is too drunk to steer—didn't you here?"

So Kairi went to speak with Henry instead. Not because she sensed she needed to, or anything like that, but rather because she wanted to. She still felt her furious emotions like a festering disease inside of her—and she thought she might do something stupid, like kill some harmless White Mushrooms if she didn't try to calm herself down.

"Henry," Kairi said, as she got in an assembly line beside him, so they could get done whatever needed to be done while still talking. "Your parents knew my boyfriend Sora... did they ever mention him at all?"

Henry smiled rather bitterly for Kairi's words, and it only took her a moment to realize why. Of course! Will hadn't had a chance to be a large part of Henry's life. How foolish she'd been, to forget that.

"Henry, I'm sorr-"

But he was already lifting a hand up in a sign of peace. "I get it, Kairi. Don't fret. Bad memories just returned to me for a moment there. Forgive me. But, yes: my mother in particular spoke of a strong and kind young-man named Sora who had helped them out. Mother thought he had a true heart... and trusted him much more than she did Jack. "

And if anything could have lifted Kairi's spirits and made her think she was doing the right thing to try and bring Sora back, it would have been what Henry just said. And so Kairi smiled her own secret grin, and spoke. "…Henry thank you so much for those kind words here. You have no idea what they mean to me. And to return the favor, I'm going to tell you that Sora talked to me about your parents. He said how brave and strong your mother was, and how he was proud of her for that… And he was so sad about what happened to your father, and hated that he had such a fate... hated that your parents did, really. And I know Sora would have loved to meet you like I now am. He probably would have thought that you're a mix of the best parts of both your parents." Kairi knew that she thought that... from what she'd heard about Will and Elizabeth from Sora, anyway.

It was somewhat weird for Kairi to talk about Sora in the past tense in such a way. A few months ago, she would have rebelled against the very idea or it. But the Princess promised herself that she only spoke in such ways now, because she would bring him back.

"…Thank you for that, Miss Kairi. Thank you." And Kairi thought that Henry might have said more—Pip was cutely motioning with his hands that he should—if a ship hadn't rammed into the Pearl that very moment.

Fear stole its way into Kairi's heart, as she thought Salazar must have been back already… but it wasn't him.

And then Kairi was flying backwards—nearly over the edge—from where this boat was still ramming itself into the Black Pearl, but she thankfully regained her bearings… and not by grabbing onto the railing, like her weak, past self would have, but by summoning her Keyblade and digging it into the deck, until the Black Pearl had righted itself again.

"Oy! You're wearing a getup similar to that of those Organizers… wonderful," Jack moaned from beside Kairi, as he surveyed the scene. The person who now seemed to have everyone aboard's attention, was the man standing on his decent sized, navy blue ship, who wore sky and snow colored robes large, a strange unicorn mask, and had long and silver hair, much like Riku's old style.

"Who are you?!" Mister Gibbs demanded, as he glowered across the way at the man with the same colored hair as him. Kairi wondered if he was trying to find a camaraderie with the man, since they arguably seemed to be about the same age, to tell him that that he shouldn't be acting like this… but Kairi couldn't be sure. "And can you get your stern out of-"

At those words from Gibbs, Kairi noticed Carina laugh for some reason. But then she quickly became unsettled again, though not as much as she had been in having to admit once and for all that ghosts existed.

"I swear if you're with The Master of Masters—or Organization XIII, like Captain Jack suspected—I'll-"

But Kairi was cut off when the man literally threw dolphin Heartless her way. One had even smacked into Kairi's chest, with its razor-sharp fin, and cut a deep gash into her… this day—for it was nearing day again—just kept getting better and better, and Kairi was fairly certain she was just numb at this point. Oh well.

The redhead slashed at every Heartless she could see—and all of her friends were taking a page from her book; Carina was even bravely hitting them with her shoes—but she wasn't foolish enough to let the man go without answering her.

"Why would you send dolphin Heartless my way?! I'm assuming you know my name means 'sea', and so you're making a reference here… but does that mean you want to hurt me? I thought your 'Master' wanted me to use my anger!" Kairi was taking a shot in the dark here, that he was one of the Master of Masters' pawns, but she thought that he must be. Since the Master of Masters was the only one (until this guy) who was wearing a robe since they'd defeated the Organization in the Keyblade War.

And in another meeting with the Master of Masters that Kairi had had recently, he had told her that he had five followers… all of which who had an animal motif. Why he had told her this crucial information, Kairi wasn't sure… but she was starting to make some guesses about it all.

"Because my Master isn't yet sure what he wants to do with you… Kairi, is it? He says that you often cast a great darkness, but also a great light. If it were me, I'd end the threat that you are now… but he's gentler than I am, so here I test." The man's voice was deep and strong, and it reminded Kairi a lot of what Leon had sounded like in the short time he'd helped to take care of her.

And despite how Kairi had been trying so hard not to cry lately (even after others dying because of her, because sadly… what else was new?), she nearly did here… in learning how much she must have fallen to darkness—for this man to be saying this to her—and she wondered what sort of plan of the Master's she was allowing to fall into place by being this way.

"But why?!" Kairi demanded. "Why be so wishy-washy about me?! What's-"

But Kairi didn't get her answer. The Heartless—that were not truly being defeated by her allies, because only Keyblades could do that—were now using their blades to put holes in the ship. Great.

"Miss, Kairi: can you use that special blade of yours to stop this?" Henry asked, as he plunged a sword through a Heartless' would-be-heart… but only for it to pop up again beside Jack. Kairi dived over the pirate's head to stab at it—imagining how Jack may have done this to protect Sora in the past, and thus she was paying him back for protecting her boy—and sighed.

More and more Heartless were coming—though Kairi didn't get it, since the man didn't seem to be summoning them… odd—and she was trying to destroy them as fast as she could, before they came back (how were they doing so so fast?!) and made more holes appear in the boat.

She used some of her pearl magic to get rid of ten going towards the Crow's Nest here (well, as best as she could, anyway, since some of them were flopping away from her attacks as if they were break dancing), and used fire to get at some coming for Carina's hair, and was about to do a third thing… when a mast fell down and landed on the Pearl. And with the massive injuries the Black Pearl had already sustained, it was now being split in two—while everyone screamed—until…

Until that man teleported onto the center of the wreckage and used a force field to keep the Black Pearl from breaking even more, and to even stitch parts of it back together.

"What are you doing?!" both Jack and Gibbs demanded; the words had very nearly been on Kairi's lips, too, or at least they would have been if she hadn't seen where Mister Unicorn was going with this.

"You want me to fight you to prove myself, don't you? Well, here I am!" Kairi exclaimed, as she stood on opposite ends of the man and readied her Keyblade. "Let's go!"

But Carina took Kairi by surprise. "No," she said, as she put a hand on her shoulder and walked past her. "You did enough for us in defeating… those things. Let me do this for you!"

"No!" Kairi protested. But the… the monster—he could be no less to Kairi—had already cast a shield around Carina and himself, so no one could get to them.

Carina was being clever—in trying to find a good place to kick Blue in the shins, it looked like; and was the monster actually giving her a chance to do so?—but it wasn't enough for Kairi. She summoned Thunder, not even caring that she might strike herself, to try and break the barrier and get Carina out of there.

"Here! Let me at it!" Pip shouted, as he got to the top of said barrier and attempted to clobber it with his paws. "I swear I'm good at things, other than just writing. And I don't want the lady to get hurt!" And Kairi couldn't believe that some of what Pip was doing was working… he was creating pressure points on the top of the shield. So, what was this? A power of friendship thing, or-

But Kairi didn't get to finish that thought—or to warp-strike to the top of it like she would have liked to—because just then the fiend had summoned a Keyblade and stabbed at Carina's arm. And he severely injured it—blood was sliding down down down her arm, as it seemed about to come off—and Henry was bellowing Carina's name at this point, as he punched the force over and over again, thus creating more wear in it.

Carina wasn't one who was helpless, however—not even in situations like this—and Kairi could tell she was going to attempt to press the monster's eyes back into his skull, as he aimed for her neck, if she didn't do anything.

And Kairi was sick of this—sick of all of this!—because even though she'd been in and seen horrible wars before, it had never been as brutal as this… the people hadn't attempted to end each other in such horrible ways. It was so much… too much. And it seemed to Kairi that after Sora had been taken out of the world, all light had died with him.

And so Kairi found herself screaming for unicorn man's fate—she couldn't believe it!—just as Jack and Gibbs had decided to try and help Carina, instead of trying to save the sinking Pearl at the moment.

"Carina, no! Stop! Please stop! I don't- I don't want this amount of bloodshed, and neither should anyone!" Kairi wailed.

Carina listened to what Kairi had said and stopped—and she wore a look on her face there, as if she couldn't believe what she'd been about to do, either—and fortunately, Unicorn Man didn't use Carina's distractedness as a way to defeat her. Instead, he began to make the barrier dissipate as he bowed to her. "You've done well, Princess Kairi. The Master will be most pleased. I'm Ira, by the way."

But not caring about any of that in the slightest, Kairi found herself leaping into the air so she could get to Carina faster now that she was able to go in that direction… but just as she was, someone was diving down and reaching for Carina, too… and the idiots they were, they couldn't change their trajectory in time and ended up hitting each other instead of getting to Carina.

And feeling a concussion coming on, as she smashed back down onto the deck—but saw him getting up much easier, and already fixing the sinking boat with his own magic—Kairi couldn't help feeling irritated with the figure.

"Riku, why are you here?!" she snarled. "Did you not trust me by myself here? I swear I'm fine! You may be messing up our chance to find Sora this way… if he's sending me to places for me and just me."

And Kairi felt awful after those words had left her mouth—of course she did; and she thought that if that Ira had still been here, he wouldn't be giving her his blessing anymore—but she also couldn't deny it was true. But how horrible had she become, to always be hurting Riku like this (she could see it in his eyes), whilst he only built her up these days?

"Kairi-" Riku began, as he helped Henry get Carina to her feet… and now everyone was staring at her. Great.

Kairi bit her lip, and again resisted the urge to cry… or to punch Riku in the arm like she had used to.

"Kairi, I swear I didn't come here to spy on you. Master Yen Sid said that he sensed a certain power, and I-"

Except that Kairi didn't believe him. How could she, when she'd been being babysat since everything had started when she was fourteen? the only time they hadn't babysat her was during the Keyblade War, but maybe they should have. Maybe if they had then, Sora wouldn't be- he wouldn't be.

Now, Kairi had thought she'd gotten better and stronger this past year… but now it was apparent that Riku (and perhaps others?) were scared of her darkness. And so, it was back to being babysat again.

She also honestly felt like he was here to steal her spotlight, like always.

And with the strong array of emotions she'd felt since coming here, Kairi was done with it. She was done with everything.

So, before anyone could say anything more to her, or judge her, Kairi leapt into the air and began gliding away… to some island a ways away from them all. And she heard Riku calling her name as she did so, and Jack saying how she'd suspected that Sora would go for a nicer girl… and now she did let all of her emotions out.

…

On the island—that housed rum for some reason; and how Kairi was tempted to try drinking some now, to drown all her sorrows—Kairi fought back the urge to destroy the White Mushrooms around her, like she'd thought about doing before… since for whatever reason, there just happened to be some on this island who were dancing around her and asking for magic.

She probably would have slaughtered them in her fury, if she wasn't trying to find her old self again, since everyone apparently hated who she was now… and maybe they were right for it.

"Sora," Kairi spoke to her boyfriend now, as she clasped her hands together and raised her head towards the sky—hating herself for this, too, because why was she acting like Sora was in heaven? She was going to find him before he got there. She was!—"Part of me wonders why I'm bothering with all of this. I'm so different now… maybe you wouldn't love me anymore. Not that I only want you back so you can love me. I want you back even if you hate me… but I wish I knew how you'd feel about this, even if I don't think I'd change who I am now… even if you asked."

Out of the corner of her eye, Kairi thought she could see some ghostly image of Sora nodding his head and smiling at her… thought she knew it was all in her head. But it still made her feel better, so she got off from the log she'd been sitting on and flew back to where the Pearl was.

Well, the Black Pearl wasn't exactly where it had been—how glad Kairi was, that ships were slow compared to some of the vehicles she'd seen in other worlds now. And when she got there, she saw Barbossa standing beside Jack and among everyone else?! That's who Kairi assumed it was, anyway, based on Sora's descriptions of everyone in this world (had she mentioned that this was Sora's favorite world that he'd been to?)

Kairi landed down in the ship and summoned her Keyblade. She may have been above fighting innocents now, but she also wasn't going to suffer a wolf in sheep's clothing. Kairi knew that Sora had said Barbossa had changed for the better the last time he'd been here, but she also didn't want to risk it.

"It's okay, Kairi. We've got it figured out," Riku said, as he came up to Kairi and slung an arm over her shoulder. And she appreciated that he wasn't telling her to dismiss her Keyblade…

"Missy, I'm her' because I promised Salazar Sparra's head. But given that it's still on his shoulders, that there must mean I'm helpin' him with a plan to keep it there, don't it? So, I would quiet yer suspicions if you really want to find the Trident of Poseidon."

Kairi sighed when she'd heard this Barbossa's explanation of things, but for once it wasn't an aggravated sigh. This captain had rightly pointed out she was too trigger-happy lately, and so she'd calm down.

And Pip, seeming to sense Kairi's resolution, climbed up her arm and patted her shoulder, too, before he went beneath her hair again.

Kairi would have liked to talk to Captain Barbossa more—to try and get them through this little hurtle, as she wished she could have talked to many people on her last adventures. Because maybe that could have helped solve a lot of issues—but before she could, the water below her was literally being ripped in half (so that Kairi was thrown to the other side of the Pearl, as it tried to be torn apart itself… again).

And as it happened, Kairi could see that Barbossa's eyes were all for Carina. And she had a lot of suspicions there… but she didn't have time to deal with that right now.

"Kairi!" Riku yelled her name, as she began falling back into the ocean as a part of the ship finally completely broke off and began tipping over. But she refused to be saved by him—or to ever need rescuing again—so she stuck her Keyblade into the part of the boat that was still active and pulled herself back up. And she fell into Riku's arms as she made her way back towards her friends… but this time, she didn't care. She'd managed to help herself… and it felt good to be appreciated like this.

But Kairi couldn't dwell on maybe having fixed her relationship with Riku for too long. Captain Jack and Barbossa had managed to get what was left of the Pearl to a nearby island, and Henry and Carina were getting off there and jumping into the opened-up ocean beneath them, and Kairi meant to do the same.

And before she knew it, she was in that area—with Riku once again shouting her name, as he followed after her—for she had used a variation of Sora's "quick run" in order to get where she was faster. But though Sora had moved in circles in order to do that, Kairi mostly moved in a straight line… and Riku seemed to be copying Kairi to try and do the same thing. Kairi would have laughed at all of this, if things hadn't been so sad lately.

Once they were on the ocean floor, Riku asked her the million munny question. "Kairi, what are we doing here?"

Kairi didn't answer at first. And she could tell by his hurt face, that he at first thought she was doing it out of spite. But as she let Pip climb out onto her arm, she swiftly showed him that wasn't the case. "Riku, meet my friend Pip. Pip, Riku."

"Nice to meet you!" Pip exclaimed, as Kairi saw him get into Riku's face so he could see him better. "Make sure our girl here keeps a good head on her shoulders, okay?"

"…Right," Riku answered. "Nice to meet you." And while Riku seemed to do better meeting Pip then Sora had always thought he would with his friends Pooh, Tigger, and Piglet—and whoever else—Kairi could tell he still wasn't thrilled. And here she did laugh… because that was Riku for you. And she was so glad to have him after losing Sora. She was.

"To answer your question, Riku," Kairi responded, as she began running after Carina and Henry now—since something seemed to be going on up ahead—"we're trying to find this Trident that has powers over all sea curses… and I'm wondering if it'll save Sora, since he gave his life for me. And my name means that."

While Riku began running with her, Kairi tried to gauge his reaction to her words. How did he feel about Sora having died for her and not him or any of the others? Kairi didn't know the answer to that… and she selfishly didn't know if she wanted to. Whatever the answer, it would probably make her hate herself more.

But Riku didn't really react to her words in the slightest. He simply clenched his fist and muttered, "Let's go get it, then." And suddenly he was taking off faster than even she had been.

And up ahead… Kairi saw Salazar—how had he gotten here so fast?! Carina had just figured this all out! Was it because he was a ghost and could teleport?—had seemed to possess Henry and had the Trident, and was attacking Carina with it!

And Kairi understood why Salazar would do this… he knew that if Kairi's friends got ahold of the Trident, he would be destroyed… so now he was trying to show Carina that if she wanted that weapon, she'd have to kill Henry to get it.

Captain Jack Sparrow darted past Riku and Kairi now, and was fighting against the possessed Henry for his and Carina's sake. And Kairi had never felt so moved by him.

"Let the boy go, Salazar," Kairi could make out the captain saying with a calmness that belied the situation. "Your fight is with me… I destroyed you and your men years ago—gave you a fate worse than death, even—and mayhaps I apologize for that. But even so… fight me."

And Salazar was battling Jack now…. while Carina seemed desperately to reach out to Henry's heart. "Henry, I know you're in there…" she cried, while trying to get in edgewise, so she could try and grab the Trident from "him" while Salazar was preoccupied with his number one enemy. "Think of all we shared, and fight back!" Carina pleaded.

"Kairi," Riku said now, as he spun her away from the scene before her, so she could focus on the matter at hand. "Maybe you should do the same that she's doing… if you sensed that Sora might be here—and you know how Yen Sid and I think he's trying to go to worlds you might be in. So, if you came here, he might be—then try contacting him, too."

And Kairi would've—perhaps again becoming the girl who used to try and use light and do support from the side—if she hadn't just then heard a voice she now somehow knew so well, whispering behind her ear.

"Really, Kairi? Really? You're so easily going to go back to the delicate girl you were before your beau sacrificed himself for you? I'm disappointed."

"Leave her alone!" Riku stepped in between the Master of Masters and Kairi, probably so she could continue to try and reach Sora, she thought. "She's not going to fall into your plan! She's not going to-"

And Kairi wasn't going to do that. She was sick of her friends and herself following the Organization's plan!

So she decided to just completely ignore the Master of Masters for the time being, and instead went to help Jack and Carina against Henry. "I think you were getting through to him, Carina," Kairi said, as she gave the other girl a one-armed hug before jumping into the fray. "Keep at it… and I'm sure things will work out. But at the same time… you're a smart girl. If you want to use your head and work something else out, I believe in you there, too."

"I wouldn't believe in anything you say, little girl, since I bested you earlier." And before Kairi could say anything to that—or try to parry his incoming strike—she was stabbed through the stomach by Salazar. (And was Kairi imagining it… or was Riku trying to teleport to her side now, while the Master said an exasperated "Wow"?)

But she'd become too strong to be "bested" so easily… as she was still impaled on the sword, Kairi grabbed a hold of the butt of it and used it as leverage to throw Salazar—who was still holding onto it—hard to the ground. She then did a quick curaza spell to fix the damage. But she still didn't feel one hundred percent yet.

"Are you okay there, lass? I may have misjudged you," Captain Jack asked, as he knelt down beside Kairi and put a hand over her wound.

"I don't think so!" the Master of Masters bellowed towards Riku, as he froze him in place so he couldn't get to Kairi? What? Did he think the help she was getting from Jack was more than she deserved? Kairi had before thought she didn't hate anyone more, than those who kept her away from Sora, she now imagined that those who kept her from Riku were just as annoying.

"Hold on, Riku!" Kairi called his way. "I'll give you a panacea, and-"

But Kairi lost her train of thought, when she saw Carina had again taken a page from her book. She'd jumped towards the possessed Henry, not even caring for the weapon that was in her way, and though it seemed to nearly slice her side to smithereens… but she was able to wrest the Trident out of Salazar's hands with this motion, and she was using it instantly. "As the one who now has power over all the sea, I command you—gods and goddesses—to release all your curses!"

But perhaps the Trident in and of itself was a curse, because it turned into water… never to be seen again, Kairi presumed.

Then, the sea above them all began to close… and Kairi thought she might faint. She was too injured to make a Corridor of Light to get herself and her friends out of this. And though she supposed Riku could try and use a Corridor of Darkness again—if worst came to worse—she knew the ill effects that it would have on everyone.

And now the Master of Masters was laughing without humor. "I have no desire to have a watery grave. You all work this one out. And Kairi… continue to be strong. Otherwise, I'll have reason to kill you! And who wants that?!" As soon as he'd said those words, the Master of Masters was gone… but amazingly, he'd let Riku out of the spell he cast on him before he did—maybe he had plans for him, too—and Riku noticed immediately what was happening and muttered a curse.

"We have to get out of here… now," Kairi stated the obvious. She quickly healed Carina, and then went to Carina's side to help her pick up an unconscious Henry. What she'd done with the Trident had freed him, so now Salazar was standing in front of everyone again in all of his hideous, undead—yet human—glory.

Captain Jack had just motioned for Gibbs—who was still in the ship above them—to send the anchor down, so they could all ride it to the surface… but now Salazar and his crew were trying to kill all of their enemies, so they couldn't get to it first.

But there was no guarantee they'd even survive if they made it to the surface, since sooner or later they'd have to face the fate they'd missed out on long ago. And Kairi had to wonder what kind of desperation drove Salazar… was it what existed in her heart now?

And to try and get to her new friends and to save them before it was too late, Kairi warp-striked to try and get back on what was left of the Pearl, so she could then pull them up. And she could tell that Riku was doing the same thing, having been inspired by her to do so. And he was rescuing Jack and Henry before she could blink... Kairi, then, went to rescue Carina... but it was all over.

For just as she had gotten Carina to the surface, Salazar had grabbed ahold of Kairi and was ramming her into the water wall beside her, as the pathway began to close above her. "If it weren't for foolish people like you, no one would have to suffer!" he hisse.

Kairi wanted to argue that—because maybe she was becoming better again—but was unable to, with how much pain she was in and the water filling up in her mouth.

Kairi tried to get her Keyblade into a position where she could use it... but then she accidentally dropped it into the wave and was losing consciousness.

Above her, Kairi could hear Carina screaming for someone to save her... but then Carina starting to change her mind when it became clear that someone was going to have to sacrifice themselves to fulfill her wish.

"What am I to you?!" Carina cried. And Kairi heard the voice of Barbosa answer "Treasure", before he willingly fell on Salazar—and towards his death—to free her from his hold. And then Kairi felt Riku sharply tugging on her arms to bring her to safety, as she sobbed.

…

For the first time in what felt like ages to Kairi, she had chosen to be selfless and stay with her new friends for a few months—foregoing her search for Sora for that long—to help them deal with the aftermath of everything that had happened.

Captain Jack was the easiest. It seemed to Kairi that he was... just lonely, in seeing Will and Elizabeth—and Henry and Carina—together, even if he was secretly happy for them. And once Kairi learned that there was an "Angelica" in his past, she helped chart a path for him to find her on "Rum Runner Island"—the island that maybe she had unwittingly found?—since he still didn't have his magic compass back.

And Jack looked at Kairi with something like warmness in his eyes, when he chose to shake her hand. "Yer a good lass, Kairi. Don't let anyone tell ya different. And you go on and remember it yourself, savvy?"

"Savvy," Kairi replied, with a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes-since she thought it was proven with Barbossa's death (and perhaps Pintel and Ragetti's before that. And- and Sora's), that she wasn't very good at all.

And it was Mister Gibbs who seemed to notice Kairi was feeling this way. He told her not to feel too bad about Barbossa, since at least she'd tried to help everyone—unlike him, in his eyes. It seemed to Kairi that Gibbs hated his own inaction on this recent quest of his now. Something she could relate to—and since he thought Barbossa had been happy to give up his life for his daughter's good spirits, anyway. Kairi didn't have much to say to that, other than trying to put two-and-two together to try and figure out where the compass Jack had lost was at. He'd promised it to Gibbs, hadn't she? Kairi swore to the man she'd figure it out and come back and get it to him. Someday.

After that, Kairi had gone with Henry, Carina, and Riku to meet Will and Elizabeth. And her heart soared for Henry and Elizabeth being reunited with father and husband respectively... but Kairi wished Sora could have been here, too, with the Trident having been destroyed… but he wasn't. And Kairi could tell that Riku was just as upset about it.

For days, Kairi trained with Carina—to help her learn how to fight, as Carina now wanted to be a pirate—and while the other lady had informed Kairi that she didn't at all blame her for her father's death, she didn't seem to sense that Kairi thought people around her in general seemed to die, and didn't comfort her about it. But Kairi thought that it was more that Carina just didn't know how to, since as a scholar… she seemed to spend most of her life in her own head. And that was fine. Kairi got it. Maybe she'd even been the same in the past, somewhat.

Henry, like Gibbs, was there for Kairi, however. One day, when she was jotting down some things she thought Destiny Islands did better in terms of sailing to help the people here, Henry interrupted her.

"You can't blame yourself, you know," he gently reprimanded her, as he laid a hand on her wrist. "I used to blame myself for my parents' situation... and told myself that if I hadn't been born, my mother could have freed my father from his terrible fate long ago, and not be trapped in a life she hated... But I also knew that my parents loved me, and that the lies we tell ourselves can be the deadliest. So you know that, too."

And it was after Henry told Kairi this, and she felt light return to her heart once more, that she finally decided to leave the Caribbean. She'd been dreaming of healing these people, but here they had done that for her.

"You know..." said Will, as Kairi was about to leave alongside Riku, with a knapsack over her shoulder. "Even though I was dying at the time, and it was hard to tell, Sora was very angry about what Davy Jones did to me... and even then, I assumed it was because he didn't want to be taken away from someone, like he didn't want me to have to be taken away from Elizabeth."

"And when Will went missing in searching for the Isla de Muerta, it was Sora, Donald, and Goofy that I trusted to help me find him, not Jack. And I suppose it could be because Sora reminded me of Will—of us—if he had someone like you waiting for him at home," Elizabeth added on to her husband's claims, as she winked at Kairi.

"Thank you," Kairi said shyly, before making the rash decision to hug the spouses. And though it clearly shocked them both, they swiftly hugged her back. They were parents, after all.

And to partly thank Will and Elizabeth for that and so much more, when Kairi just happened to see barnacles under their bed, she took them outside and burnt them... so the memory of this Davy Jones would hopefully leave them alone forever.

And it was when Kairi was outside on Elizabeth's (and now her family's) beautiful green island, that she found Riku sitting there as he let the wind dance over him.

Pip bound up to Kairi then, as it looked like he'd just been on the gummi ship with Riku, and he excitedly told her, "Kairi! What happened with the Trident seemed to give Riku a vision! He says Sora's in a world of... data? Though apparently, it's not the Tron world or Datascape, whatever that means. Isn't that good news?!"

And trying to hide the fact that she was sad Riku had seen this and not her, too—because hadn't Riku and Master Yen Sid and Riku theorized Sora was trying to get to worlds she'd like?—Kairi sat down beside him and said, "Then I guess we should see if Cid can get our phones to search for worlds with data."


	5. Falling

**Falling**

**Sora's PoV:**

"Come on, Yozora," Sora complained. as he grabbed onto his prison door and shook it with all his strength. "Don't lock me up, because you know I'm right in saying that… locking Stella in that box—no matter how she betrayed you is wrong—deep down, you know it's awful... because you're me."

And that must have meant something to Yozora, because he gave Sora something to eat then—to help stay conscious for once, in this awful place—and it was dropped at his feet.

It was a banana.

**Kairi's PoV:**

Kairi and Riku decided to go to Radiant Garden, to ask the Restoration Committee and Tron for help. But it left a bitter taste in Kairi's mouth to do so, because to her it was just pointing out to their friends that they hadn't found Sora yet, and that she had failed in another way.

So Kairi found herself leaving this to Riku—even if she would have loved to meet this non-corrupted version of a friend that Sora had loved so much: Tron—and took a moment to relax for the first time in ages.

As she did so, a kid named Ben—who she would learn the Restoration Committee had taken in—sat down and talked to her, as she dipped her toes in the fountain.

"…Kairi, I think that's your name… I'm sorry if I'm ruining your privacy, or whatever, but I'm Ben. And Radiant Garden's new leader, Leon, told me a little bit about your story with this 'Sora'… and how you now think he's in data world or something? …All I'm saying is don't bet on the wrong horse. I tried to recreate my mom, via this intelligent house that we had... and that was a disaster. Sometimes it's better to have a flawed reality, than to hold onto a scary dream."

If Kairi was being honest with herself here, she was spooked by this entire one-sided conversation. Though she did wonder if the gods of the different worlds had perhaps sent her this boy to her to give her advice...

She was about to ask him how a "mom" connected to an automated home—was that what she was getting here? could even exist to become a disaster, but Pip was having none of that.

"…Why would you tell Kairi that, to get her all scared and defeated?!" Pip demanded. And Kairi pet his fur in order to calm him down, as she contemplated and yet sent a small smile Ben's way.

And she was glad that Ben was holding his hands up defensively for Pip's anger. Because Kairi didn't want her new best friend to be mad at the child… even though she was sad he was kind of confronting her with her worst fears here.

"Hey, Miss. I just don't want anyone to say I didn't warn you. But it could work out. Like, even though we were fine without her… Pat's got her bugs worked out now, so sometimes she gives us chocolate chip pancakes!"

And that was all that a little kid would worry about, wasn't it? Kairi almost giggled at those words about pancakes… almost.

Instead, she decided to speak calmly to Ben and use some of his own terminology back at him. "Don't worry about it, 'Mister. 'Pip here is just a little protective of me, like he was with his mistress, Giselle, but I see that you only want to help me. Thank you."

Pip crossed his arms over his chest defensively here—because Kairi had bemoaned some of his efforts to coddle her heart?—but she knew he really didn't mean it, which she was glad for… because she still needed one friend in this world, after all.

Speaking of friends—or former friends—it was when Kairi was having these depressing thoughts and twiddling with her thumbs, that Riku finally returned.

"What did they all say?!" Kairi demanded, as she sprung to her feet and began assuming the worst. They're not mad we took some months off in looking for Sora, are they? …They really don't think I'd sacrifice him again so easily, do they?"

And Riku sent Kairi a small smile here, that was so much like their old bond, that Kairi could have cried. How she wished their connection was that strong again. And maybe they were getting somewhat close to it again, but…

"Relax, Kairi. Of course they're not upset with us… with you. And they're worried about the Master of Masters and his flunkies, but I told them we can handle it. They also told me what everyone else is doing, and I can tell ya if ya want. But most of all… Cid fixed our phones like we wanted him to... And I should have said this all when that kid wasn't here, huh?"

And this time, Kairi did have to laugh. It was a rare sight to see Riku flustered, but she definitely appreciated over the arrogant boy he had once been on the Islands. "This is Ben, Riku. He's cool. It sounds like he's in cahoots with the Restoration Committee. But on the subject of youth... did the Restoration Committee look any older to you? If so, we must have somehow traveled to the future when we were in the Caribbean. But if not… then we only moved ahead in time in that world, for some reason."

Overhead, a seagull was flying by… perhaps trying to see if there were some French fries nearby that it could eat. And for just a second, Kairi was taken back to Destiny Islands: the place where Sora had climbed a tree to get a seagull egg… and the place where many times—even though Kairi had enjoyed talking to Sora (she always would)—she didn't want to relish in his company if Riku wasn't with them. She missed those days…

"The Restoration Committee is the same age, Kairi. Don't worry." And again… Riku treated Kairi with such patience, that she hated him for it. She didn't deserve it…

But deciding that they probably should have these conversations away from Ben—just in case—Kairi and Riku bid their new friend goodbye and went back to Riku's gummi ship to discuss things more. Apparently, King Mickey had picked up Kairi's own ship from the Caribbean and had taken it back to Disney Castle. So, it seemed that she would be staying with Riku for a while…

Which was fine. More than fine, really. Leon, Yuffie, Aerith, Cid, Cloud, and Tifa had missed seeing the guilt that she bore, and now she and Riku were safe to talk about Sora away from prying eyes.

"So, what are all of our other friends doing now, Riku? And don't spare me any gory details."

And Riku didn't, as he set the ship in auto-pilot and walked around to look at the stars. Kairi wondered if he imagined Sora in one of them like she did, but she thought he might also be picturing Naminé on one of them, too.

"Mickey, Donald, and Goofy are following Sora's lead and going to sleep… to try and find hints of him in their dreams, Terra, Ventus, and Aqua are taking on apprentices, thinking the next generation may hold the truth to finding him... Lea and Isa are looking for a friend that they lost, but think it might connect to Sora. And Roxas and Xion are apparently trying to going as high in the Ocean Between Worlds as they can, to see if they can see Sora from that vantage point… And Naminé's not doing anything… because she thinks you and Sora aren't together now because she tore you apart before."

Wow, her friends certainly had better ideas than she did. Kairi had no doubt that they'd find Sora before she could even dream of it—like usual—though she would still try… and her heart broke in hearing that the girl she thought of as a sister was blaming herself for something that wasn't her fault at all.

Kairi even thought about getting her gummi phone out, to demand that Naminé cut it out that instant… but she couldn't do it yet. No, the only pain she could think of at all anymore was her own. Because Sora, the light of their World, had died for her (again). And even if by miracle of miracle, they happened to save him… that would always be true, and she could never wash the blood off her hands.

Kairi could tell the question Riku was dying to ask her now, as he seemed to look at her with bated breath... what was it about him that now bothered her, that made her push him in a way that she never had before?

And Kairi would tell Riku one day, she promised herself now, and would attempt to make amends... just not now. Never now.

So instead, she changed this subject about their friends and feelings.

"Is your gummi phone picking up any data worlds now?" Kairi asked, being careful not to look at Riku, but rather at all of the parts of the gummi ship around her. The seats that Riku had in his own vessel here were jade, and Kairi loved that aesthetic choice, as they matched his eyes.

But somehow, even before he'd spoken Kairi knew that Riku would disappoint her. "...No. But I may be picking up something else."

Well, the "something else" was news to Kairi. She wasn't even sure they'd get that lucky. So she stood from her seat and peered at the gummi phone he held in his hand, as she took in what appeared to be some sort of jungle pictured there.

And Kairi grinned… she couldn't help it, even though these memories now hurt her. She recalled, after all, bits of when Sora had been in Deep Jungle. She thought he may have even fought about Donald on whether or not to go there… and in the end, Sora had made them crash so that he could look for her and Riku.

If they had to go to such a place to save him now—or at least get some kind of clue about him—Kairi thought that it was only fitting.

"Then full speed ahead, maestro!" Kairi encouraged Riku, whilst she pointed her Keyblade out towards the sky.

And for just a second, Kairi again felt like the girl who had built a raft with her friends, jumped off a balcony, and fought in a Keyblade War.

…

The first thing Kairi noticed when she and Riku eventually landed on the new world, was a strange fruit that she had never seen before.

And suddenly realizing just how ravenous she was, Kairi ate the yellow, C-shaped piece of food and even shared some of it with Pip.

"This is delicious!" Kairi sang, just as the flavors and textures really hit her taste buds for the first time.

But Riku seemed to be staying far away from it, though Kairi couldn't imagine why. He must have been as hungry as she was, if not hungrier since he was a growing guy.

"...Kairi, you know what that is. Right?" Riku asked, with some strange tone in his voice that she couldn't figure out for the life of her. "An aphrodisiac."

Truthfully, Kairi wasn't entirely sure what that was. She thought it had to do with romance and fruit together, somehow, but that was about all she knew. She may have been going to school some, while Sora and Riku had been out adventuring, but she hadn't always been paying attention in class… Not when she'd been worried sick about her missing friend and the boy she couldn't remember. "Aphrodisiac?" Kairi tested the word on her tongue. "Like the paopu fruit?"

"Err… You know what? Nevermind."

And here, Kairi couldn't help teasing Riku a little—as she felt some of her old self come to the surface again, just a tiny bit. "Riku, even if you're worried about falling in love or whatever—because you want to die an Old Maid, instead of getting married, I don't think this fruit is as strong as to make you propose to Naminé the next time you see her, or anything like that. So, c'mon! Give it a try!"

But, perhaps, Riku even did Kairi one better than that, when he saw a yellow coconut lying around that Kairi had missed and opened it and ate at the milk inside…

Right. Yellow coconuts… She had once ordered both Riku and Sora to find them for the raft. So were Riku and she finally becoming those fourteen-year-old kids together, then?

The two teens finished eating—eventually playing a game, where they told each other what they wished it was. Because they wanted meat right now more than anything—but then finished off and began walking again.

And before Kairi knew it, she and Riku were nearing a mountain that was very much shaped like an ape… Kairi probably would have told Riku something about it, if it that moment she hadn't seen something that caught her eye even more!

A lovely lady and an ape-like-man—not unlike Tarzan from Sora's time in Deep Jungle, that Kairi remembered from being particularly active in his heart there—were having dinner together, as a giant monkey (a gorilla? An ape?) talked to them and served them food!

There were even breathtaking twinkling lights around this treehouse… and even in the light of day, they took Kairi's breath away.

Everything about this scenario was just beautiful. To Kairi… as silly, and romance novel sounding as this thought in her head was becoming, it was like what her life could have been like with her mate, Sora, if things hadn't gone so horribly… As she knew that he had wanted to show her a magical world, too.

And so even though Kairi didn't know this couple at all, she couldn't help rooting for them… and she saw that Riku felt the same way, when he was quick to assure the woman that everything was fine, when she began to panic: "Oh, no! You're not with Lyle are you?! You don't think I've been taking hostage by a madman, who will try and steal my autonomy, will you?"

"Not to worry, ma'am... we're just here to see if this world—err, place—needs any help at all. And if it does, we're only too happy to aid it. I'm Riku, and this is Kairi."

Kairi was about to proudly tease Riku that he was acting like Sora again, as she smiled up at him, but just as she was about to, some other people entered the scene… At least one of which who looked like he might try and tear the lovers apart, if his look of outrage in seeing them together was anything to go by…

And then the one that Kairi had been worried about (and surely Riku, as well) was pulling a gun, and shooting at Ape-Man, just as the pretty girl cried, "Lyle, no!"

Guns… Kairi hated him. And she knew that Sora had come up with that same sentiment when he saw Clayton with one, and she could easily understand why.

Before it was too late, Kairi tried to jump in front of the lady's lover, but even with her warping ability she didn't make it in time!

And then there was a panic. Some of the dark-skinned men present were angrily pulling the shooter way, and insisting that he would have to go to prison for shooting another human… Meanwhile, the girl—and the ape who had been waiting on them—were worrying over the shooting victim. And Kairi and Riku were quickly there, too… Though they also wanted to give him some air.

Kairi thought about trying to use Curaga on the man, but she knew that wouldn't work. Cure spells always healed depleted energy more than anything else…

The woman was on her own phone, desperately trying to get service—whatever that was, Kairi thought—so people would come and give George (apparently that was the man's name) the medical treatment he so desperately needed… but the crying woman said that it would still take time, and George might not make it.

So, it was then that Kairi made a decision… because she'd seen too much like this in her lifetime, and had of course felt this way herself.

"We've already ruined the World Order in so many other worlds we've been in, Riku. What's one more? Let us help this man get the best medical treatment available."

Riku might have whispered something about the old Kairi being back then, but if he did she didn't completely hear it. No, she was too busy creating a Corridor of Light to get everyone where they needed to go faster.

But she didn't just leave it at that. Naturally, she walked up to her new friend and whispered gently in her ear, ""I know I'm probably just some crazy magical girl to you now, so who would believe me? …But if you walk through this path and think desperately of where you want to go as you do so, it'll take you there."

"Magic… after a talking monkey?" the woman with the slight accent—or was it lisp?—echoed back to Kairi, with a sort of unhinged quality in her voice. Kairi was about to question it. But, hey. Hadn't she been about the same when Sora had disappeared after using a Keyblade on his own heart, and Riku had seemed gone forever? "Why aren't I surprised? Thank you."

And so, the woman, Kairi, and Riku (who had stepped up to be the main one carrying George here) walked through the Light, and left everyone and everything else behind for the time being.

A pity, that, because looking back on it… Kairi thought she'd felt something of Sora when she'd bitten into that fruit.

But now was the time to be selfless again… to be the girl he surely loved: the Master of Masters had to be right.

…

Once they exited the path, Kairi found herself in an area that reminded her a lot of Giselle's world, oddly enough, which gave her the confidence to see this thing through… And she wondered if the two worlds of towering skyscrapers were once one, before the World had been split into parts.

Taking the brunt of George's weight herself now—as Riku seemed to be getting tired, and Kairi could hardly blame him—Kairi helped Ursula (introductions had been made on the three—four, counting George's—way here) get George into her apartment complex. And she thanked every god she could think of that they took the elevator to get to the penthouse, for even as a Keyblade wielder she didn't know if she could have carried George up all those flights of stairs.

Kairi laid George down on Ursula's bed, as the girl called for a doctor to stop by and see him… And it was as she did, that Kairi understood how rich Ursula was—even moreso than she had been as the mayor's daughter, because her family hadn't been able to afford to persuade doctors to make house calls—unless there were just different protocols here…

And it was at this point, that Riku seemed to get uncomfortable… as he seemed to shrink away from all the expensive things around him.

And Kairi wondered for the first time if her own wealth had used to make him uncomfortable… Even in their golden years, had they not been as close as she'd thought they'd been.

"Riku…"

But Kairi's best friend was interrupting her before she could finish her thought. "If you don't mind, I think I might go back to the place we just left and see how that Lyle's doing… There was something about him. I don't know."

Well, that made sense. If Riku thought there was something sinister about him, it made sense that Riku would want to investigate… even if Kairi herself felt called to stay here for whatever reason. "…Of course, Riku. But stay safe. We don't know what we might be up against in this world…"

Riku waved to Kairi as he was walking through his own Corridor of Light… though he didn't promise Kairi he'd be back soon, and she didn't tell him to come back as fast as she could. They weren't quite there yet, after all, and this knowledge made her impossibly sad.

Though Kairi tried to hide it, when she walked up to George and put a Cure spell onto him for good measure.

"Thank you," he told her—with a smile in his voice—as consciousness returned to him.

And Kairi couldn't help beaming herself—reminded, as always, of Sora—as she replied, "Of course."

Kairi then made a show of becoming the Invisible Girl, as doctors and Ursula worried over George. Though even in her solitude and loneliness at the moment, she couldn't help feeling grateful that Ursula had yet to ask what she was… or any other fair question like that.

Kairi wondered how she would even answer that. As the physicians performed their magic, Kairi went outside and did her own—fighting the tiny shoe-like Heartless that she could find if she looked hard enough, though it was clear that this world didn't have much darkness in it… yet—but the whole time she did, she couldn't help feeling like she was the real monster here.

'Sora… If you can somehow sense me, and sending me these alerts about your presence… does that mean you can see the new me and think I'm someone worth something? Or are you blinded by your love for the old me, and are blind as a bat?'

The last group of Heartless that Kairi fought, ganged up on her and tried to grab her by her leg and pull her away… And while Kairi would say she'd had to stab at her thigh to get rid of them all, the truth was that she had wanted to cut herself for some sort of relief.

And it was exactly for that reason, that she was able to return to Ursula acting sane… as ironic as that was.

"Thank you for helping him, for helping us!" Ursula exclaimed, the moment that she saw Kairi again—as she took her hands in hers, and Kairi was reminded of her friendships with Selphie, Olette, Naminé, Xion, Aqua, Giselle, and Carina… the friendship between girls. How she'd been missing it. And maybe it was exactly what she needed to get out of her funk… or so she hoped. "Gosh, I barely even know you, but you've been a truer friend to me than you had any right to be! Know that if you ever need anything—anything!—and if it's in my power to get it for you, I will… Though I'm afraid I have to ask you one more thing… do you think you could stay with George some? At least until he completely heals?"

"Of course!" Kairi readily agreed. But she wondered if it was not her voice speaking, but Sora's… for didn't she have better things to do—like finding Sora—if this world panned out to mean nothing?

But still… Kairi couldn't turn down someone who needed her, could she? What kind of Princess of Heart would she be, if she did? …If she was even still that at all.

"I'm sure you must have a job and stuff. And this city… must be culture shock to George. I'll keep an eye on him as best I can."

Ursula laid a hand on Kairi's shoulder then—in what she could only presume was thanks—and if things had been different… Kairi might have been happier than she'd ever been.

After that—while Kairi and Ursula both kept an eye on George for the time being—Ursula and Kairi ended up playing a game with apple cider (because Kairi still didn't quite drink, thank you very much), where they took a swig from their drink every time one of them said something awful the other had had to go through for being born into the world with certain advantages.

And though George didn't seem to be able to understand a lot of what they were talking about, as they talked (and Kairi feared that he might somehow be getting hammered on the cider), he seemed to be having as much fun as they were… which Kairi was glad for, because she was charmed by her new friend and wanted him to enjoy life. Yes, that was true.

But through their game, Kairi recalled just how many creepy guys had hit on her just for being the mayor's daughter… and how she had one had to defend her virginity with a hairbrush, when Sora and Riku had been away… She pondered if Sora and Riku (saviors of the galaxy) would be impressed by her achievement there or not.

Kairi knew that she herself wasn't. As always, she should have been better and stronger… and done more, so she'd never been in that situation to begin with. Or really incapacitated him in a form of revenge.

…But none of that mattered now. Happy game time was over, and it was now bedtime.

But as Kairi slept… she dreamed. Dreamed of things that she got the sense were supposed to happen in this world, in a few days' time, but that she was somehow seeing now.

She saw Ursula going to her own engagement party—oh. She'd been engaged to that Lyle guy?—and instead falling for George, as he ran with the horses… She witnessed George saving someone from falling from a ridiculous height… And Ursula realizing she loved George and admitting it to her mother…

And then… and then the softest waves all about her, and suddenly a Foreteller. Kairi ran towards that Foreteller, standing on a single stone in a roaring sea now… and then seemed to teleport there.

Before Kairi's very eyes, was a girl in gorgeous rose-colored robes, that the princess herself wished she had. And while Kairi wanted to attack her—because that was just the norm now in dealing with what might as well have been this new Organization XIII, wasn't it?—Kairi found her heart resisting that notion now, for whatever reason.

And instead, in the softest voice she'd ever used with one of her enemies, Kairi asked with a hand held under her chin, "What do you want? What does your Master want? Please tell me."

And thankfully, this woman-with a very sweet voice, Kairi would come to see—thought it appropriate to answer her, as she herself glided closer to Kairi. "It's good that you somewhat separated me from the Master with that question. Because my wants and his don't exactly line up. For a time, the only ally I had was myself... And I wish it could have stayed that way. But now, I find I'm reluctantly on his side again. Since, despite everything, he is still my father."

Of course… even though Kairi could try to sympathize with this lady here—and her heart was screaming at her to—this made her furious, because no matter what… right was still right.

But then again, maybe she only thought that because she'd never had to choose before. All the stars twinkling around Kairi now seemed to call her a liar. Because the truth was… if she had to choose between the World and her adopted father or her grandmother… would she choose as Sora did? Kairi honestly wasn't sure anymore.

Thankfully, the small Foreteller missed Kairi's moral dilemma here and carried on with what she had been saying… and Kairi was thrilled. It wouldn't do to let the enemy know they had a faltering Princess of Heart on their hands, after all.

"But as for what the Master wants... I won't say all of it—because I don't want to fully ruin his plans. Some of his ideas are good—but more than anything, he desires unity. Since he knows what being without it has caused."

Kairi wanted to argue that the history books from the Islands told her that when most people started wanting this kind of thing, it always led to bloodshed… but she didn't.

Instead, Kairi was focused on the pastel pink Keyblade that was now pointed at her chin. There was something about this Keyblade that reminded Kairi of her own, Destiny's Embrace, but she couldn't imagine why… because they weren't that similar.

She also couldn't understand why the girl was aiming her Keyblade at her now, when until now she'd mostly seemed the pacifist… unless she was trying to show her something now. But whatever that was, Kairi could only begin to imagine. So, she thought she might tell this stranger something instead.

"I think you had the right of it before… going against your dad if he's planning some evil things, is the right thing to do. It's like how I couldn't fully forgive my friend Riku for some of the awful things he did, even if it was for my sake."

And that was a truth she'd never admitted to anyone before. Barely even herself. So why was she saying such things now?

The woman smiled sadly at this. She then leaned in and kissed Kairi on the cheek, entirely shocking her. And Kairi felt Pip come out of her hood here—to try and defend her honor, perhaps—but the woman swiftly showed that she wasn't aiming for anything crooked here, as she whispered into Kairi's ear. "Time heals all wounds, don't you think? You should let that go, Kairi. Listen to Ava."

And Kairi woke up to see George standing before her, with bruises all over his body—clearly from exertion—and it seemed to her that he must have already saved the man she'd seen briefly in her dream.

…

At first, Kairi wanted to believe that she'd just somehow had psychic visions here—even though that would have been scary in its own right—but it was when Kairi started reliving some of the things that she'd dreamt about, that she realized that some sort of time travel was in effect here: because even Ursula would sometimes turn to her, as though she was having déjà vu.

Right now, Kairi was at Ursula's engagement party—something she was enjoying, because it felt good to take a break from the doom and gloom and having to worry about the World's safety again—and she was watching George run with white horses, alongside Ursula and her friends.

…George looked attractive while doing this. And if her heart didn't belong to Sora, she might have been moved by it. So, she certainly understood why everyone else was.

But Kairi soon found that it was George's kindness more than anything, that was moving Ursula—as he walked over to them and explained, "I just thought the horsies here might get bored, if no one played with them."

So, he hadn't been doing that to be manipulative and look powerful. Really, Kairi knew she should have supposed that that was the truth. But with how she'd been abused so much by men in the Organization—and now the Master of Masters—she sometimes forgot that there were decent ones out there.

"Someone named Yozora is also awful," Ursula said to Kairi then—as if she'd read Kairi's mind—whilst she ruffled George's hair. But she'd spoken that as if she'd been in a trance.

And Kairi was completely baffled by this, because she was starting to understand that this "New York" didn't have many sounding names like that, if any. So, who was this Yozora… and why had Ursula felt the need to speak of him?

Was that what she was supposed to find out here, that was connected to Sora? The name sounded like Sora's, that was for sure. And as she whispered it now… Kairi almost felt as though she was saying Sora's name, like sometimes she thought of herself when she heard "Naminé" now.

But this discussion of Yozora was swiftly forgotten about, when Ursula's mother—who seemed off to Kairi—came outside to have a private word with George.

And somehow, Kairi wasn't surprised at all when George was gone the next day, having left again for Bukuvu to save Ape.

"This just reeks of my mother! I know she did this!" Ursula fumed, as she paced back and forth in her bedroom.

And Kairi told her the honest truth, as she laid down on the bed and wished to sleep… She'd been wanting to sleep a lot since coming to this world. And while Kairi wanted to believe it was because of a spell that Ava was perhaps putting on her, she knew it was really because she was depressed. "…She probably did… As silly as it is to say this, I figure she did because this is the plot in so many books and movies. And you have everything here… I can understand why your parents would be leery of you throwing that away. Mine would probably behave the same way… though they may not have strong-armed someone like George so much."

Honestly, Kairi missed George—well, as much as her heart could miss anyone who wasn't Sora—since last night, she'd planned on trying to show George some slides of modern things, like Sora, Donald, Goofy, and Jane had shown Tarzan… though she'd near instantly learned that George didn't need them. He'd been very thankful of her efforts, however.

"I'm going to go have a word with her!" Ursula bellowed. "And then you and I are going back to George's home, and are going to help him heal his surrogate father! …And if your friend really went back there for Lyle, we're going to help him get over his crush on him, too!"

"Wait… what?!" Kairi demanded. But Ursula didn't clarify what she meant by that. Instead, she was going to the room that her parents were staying at here after the engagement party had ended late.

Just a few rooms away, Kairi could hear Ursula's mother unintentionally making her daughter realize she was in love with George (just like in her dream), and the two of them arguing about it… but Kairi couldn't focus on that right now.

Did Ursula really think that Riku had somehow gained feelings for Lyle?! Now that she made herself think about it, perhaps Riku had had feelings for Sora for some time—man, did they ever need to talk, if that was true—so if Lyle somehow reminded him of Sora… then maybe.

But Lyle seemed like a vile person, so if Kairi had to save Riku's heart from being broken by him, she would!

Kairi was walking towards where Ursula and her mom were still yelling at each other—to insist that they leave now, if they could—when Kairi bumped into Ursula's dad: she'd met him the night before.

And he seemed to be much more level-headed about his daughter's feelings than her mother was. "I support whatever decision makes Ursula happy, of course," he started as he saw Kairi. "But do you really think this is the best decision for her to make?"

And Kairi grinned, somehow reminded of her decision to do everything she could for Naminé and to give her the chance to live to the best of her ability. "Just… love your daughter. Love is the reason we're here, after all."

Kairi then approached the room that Ursula was in, grabbed her arm—because it looked like she was ready to leave anyway—and whisked her away.

…

This time around, Kairi agreed to fly on Ursula's private jet to get to George and Riku. As this time, she didn't think they were in too much trouble. Ape seemed to be, but hopefully George was already taken good care of him.

But even if she didn't feel much like a Princess of Heart anymore, she had a duty to the worlds and the World Order, so it was probably best to not screw with it once more in this world.

She supposed she was also somewhat doing this to try and stick it to the Master of Masters some. Because if he wanted unity… maybe he wanted the worlds to know about each other again. In which case, she wasn't going to give the evil man what he wanted… how she hated him.

Pip thought that Kairi was being reckless, too. He came out and talked to her while they were flying back to the much more flora-filled part of this world. He had seen her cut herself, and since then he'd kept quiet to see what she would do next… and he wasn't impressed with some of the choices she'd been making.

And here, Kairi couldn't help but sigh and to try and hide behind her hair some. Great. Now even her knew best friend hated her.

At was at this point that Kairi escaped to fight some Shadows that were on the jet—thankfully, Ursula was completely missing them as she flew—and as she swung each one, she couldn't help being terrified that they were actually drawn to the darkness in her heart, if there was some there. A troubling thought, indeed.

As was the situation Kairi and Ursula walked into when they made it back to the tree house. Some poachers were trying to take Ape with them, in having learned that he could talk—clearly, they had never seen other anthropomorphic beings before—and George was trying to stop them, of course, and Riku, too… Something that made Kairi's heart sing, because it reminded her of Sora.

But then it all went into Hell in a handbasket, as it would have. "You have got to be kidding me!" Ursula was complaining now. "Lyle, they let you out of prison. Or did you escape?"

And before Kairi could blink, he had darted over and grabbed Ursula with a gun pointed to her cheek. "I am now certified to perform wedding ceremonies, Ursula. And we're going to get married. I have our vows right here."

"Ursula!" George called. And it was clear to see that he was torn between saving his father or the love of his life.

Kairi would have tried to rescue Ursula—and Riku too, she was sure—if at that second, the poachers hadn't sent their own bullets flying at everyone.

As time seemed to slow down to a crawl, Kairi did her best to deflect them all with her Keyblade. And Riku was doing the same thing ...which was enough for the poachers to give up and run away, as they witnessed the two's powers…

But while Kairi didn't think that the thieves were working with Lyle, what they had done was the perfect opportunity to take off with Ursula.

Riku pounded his fist on the ground angrily here. And as pathetic as it was to say, Kairi was completely at a loss on how to comfort him. Maybe because she wasn't entirely sure where his emotions were at here. "Dangit. I thought he was a little like me—and had gotten on the right track, but could be saved—…I was wrong."

"If your choice of action was to try and be someone's hero here, you couldn't have been wrong, friend. In fact, I know what I have to do now," George said, while he patted Riku on the shoulder before heading off in the direction that Lyle had taken Ursula, with Ape right behind him.

"Riku… we need to talk now," Kairi told her friend, as she helped him to his feet. The mulch he'd been sitting on had stained Riku's jeans a slight brown color, that wasn't completely unlike Sora's hair color. Kairi swallowed. "You love Sora, don't you? You seem to think I pushed you away… but you've done that to me, too. Is this why? And what? You wanted to help Lyle because he reminded you of him?"

Riku glared at Kairi. And for the first time she could remember, she found herself almost being afraid of him—and had to take a step back—but the look dissipated just like that, and instead a single tear fell from his eye. "Yeah, Kairi… I do love Sora. Or did. I don't know. I do have some feelings for Naminé now, as you've noticed. I also used to like you… And I wanted to help Lyle, partly because I thought he was like me. But there was a bit of Sora, too… Lyle exudes a gay energy. And I'm sorry… You know I think Sora's completely straight in his love for you, but you've got to admit that he's the same that way. But that failed. So I failed again. But oh well.

"But since we're talking about painful topics here… do you mind telling me what. I did to piss you off so much?"

Kairi did not want to answer this. But she supposed she had no choice, since she had just forced Riku to talk about such painful things.

She wanted to use the excuse that they needed to save Ursula, so she wouldn't have to talk about it… even though Kairi knew in her heart of hearts, that she would be fine. But she didn't, in knowing that she owed Riku and their old bond more than that.

"Riku… you were willing to kill for me. Pinocchio, for instance… You also didn't care what was going to happen to the worlds through Maleficent's plan—and your helping her—as long as it got you me… You also kidnapped Princesses of Heart. But I'm going to shut up now, because I swear I'm not here to read you all your sins. Especially since I probably have you beaten in that category these days. And while I appreciate that you were trying to do that to save me. I also hate that you would have made me an accessory to murder that way. At least I did… And maybe I was somewhat jealous of all the time that you got to spend with Sora lately, that I didn't. I don't know."

Kairi crossed her arms over her chest here, feeling very uncomfortable. She was even about to go hide in the treehouse, if she needed to. But Riku startled her just as Ava had, when he was suddenly before her and kissed her on the cheek—but almost on the lips, and maybe that had even been his intention—and somehow, she thought everything that had just happened between them was exactly what had needed to transpire to make them good with each other again.

"There, Kairi. Was us treating each other siblings again really that hard?"

Kairi laughed. Because even though she got where Riku was coming from—he had only kissed her cheek, after the two of them had spilled their hearts out about their romantic love for Sora, essentially—siblings didn't almost kiss each other on the lips… and not after they admitted they'd once had feelings for each other. And yes, Kairi had had feelings for Riku for a hot second, long ago. So this probably was the perfect closure that they'd needed.

"No, Riku. I guess it wasn't."

And feeling as though he was the wing beneath her wings, Kairi glided towards a waterfall nearby, where it looked like Lyle still had Ursula kept hostage. And she landed on the boat to free her from it… only to realize that George had Ursula in his arms on the cliff above them, and Lyle had just said his vows to Ape, who was now kissing him.

Her work here was done… Kairi let herself fall back into the water, and float away—feeling completely blissed out for the moment.

…

Things happened pretty fast after that. George and Ursula were getting married, of course… and they were doing so here.

Ursula's family—and maybe even her friends—were flying out to witness it. And Kairi and Riku decided to stay for it, after they were asked to.

And Kairi agreed pretty easily. She knew, not that long ago, she'd somewhat regretted staying in the Caribbean so long, when Sora needed them. And she'd even been afraid that the Restoration Committee would hate her for that choice. But now she realized just how self-absorbed that sentiment had been. This was all part of the journey to find Sora, after all. So, of course, she would stay for her new friends on their day. How often had Sora got distracted on his adventures?

So, a few days later, everyone was having a grand old time. Kairi was even nearly convincing Ursula's mother to give the pair a chance… though the alcohol she was encouraging the older woman to drink might have been a large part of that.

Speaking of, RIku—who said he was almost eighteen now—had decided to try some champagne, and had quickly fallen in love. He was even offering to sing a song for the married couple now, so Kairi knew he must have been a little tipsy.

But of course, when things would start to feel alright again… they would all fall to pieces.

Kairi saw the Master of Masters standing a ways away from her now—in a more secluded part of the forest—and Kairi found herself going to him, as if she were a puppet on a string.

"Have you again taken a break from looking for Sora? You disappoint me, Kairi."

Kairi summoned her Keyblade to hand, but it was different from Destiny's Embrace this time as she'd put a Keychain on it. A Keychain from this world, that turned the teeth into a groom and bride from a wedding cake: probably because there had been so much romance here.

"Yeah, well… I'm sorry to disappoint. Actually, I'm not. I will find Sora—though I don't know why you would want me to, since he's your enemy who will undo all your plans—but I'm not going to lose myself to do it. Not when you apparently want me to be angry for some reason."

"…Even though, more than once, he's completely lost himself for you."

And despite everything that Kairi had just promised herself, she found herself attacking the Master of Masters for this, as she screamed.

No doubt, she was inviting a lot of attention her way—on George and Ursula's happiest of days—but she hoped that no one would come after her… that the music would drown this out, because they all deserved to be happy. She would deal with this mess herself.

He summoned Xehanort's disgusting Keyblade, because of course he did, and sent an "X" bathed in fire her way, but Kairi was quick to jump over it.

She then sent her light Pearl attack—though actually created from real pearls: an impressive technique that she'd recently taught herself—at the Master's face, but he dodged by doing a backflip out of the way.

Once the man was on his feet again, he kicked at Kairi's legs and she was ashamed to admit that he actually knocked her down.

He had his Keyblade poised over her head then, but before he could decapitate her with it—or whatever he might have planned to do—Kairi grabbed his arm with all her strength, so he couldn't move it. Much like Xion had done to save Axel from Xemnas' ethereal blades.

"Why are you even here?!" Kairi growled. "You already sent your Ava after me here. I thought only one minion per world would bother me."

"…Because this isn't some perfect little story, Kairi. Haven't you figured that out yet?"

And before Kairi could react, the man slammed his Keyblade down on the pressure point of her neck so that she passed out… And when she woke up, she found he hadn't done anything to her. Hadn't kidnapped her, as a Princess of Heart, to further his goals or anything. And somehow… that was the biggest insult of all.

What? Had he beaten her in a fight just to humiliate her?

And as Kairi became furious at that notion, she expected her insanity to come back in full-swing… but it didn't. Kairi's mind felt sane. And that horrified her more than anything. Would her new strength be gone if her mind worked right again?

In her hoodie, Pip had laid his paws on Kairi's shoulder—clearly trying to keep her from going over the edge—but she didn't want him to be.

She wanted to fall… in this happy world, or no.

**Author's Note: This chapter gave me fits, so that's why it took me so long to finish and post. I'm sorry about that:(**

**I always wanted this world in here. Partly because, so far, the worlds Kairi have gone to are somewhat similar to Sora's ones from KH1. Enchanted was two worlds (Andalasia and New York) like Wonderland is (Wonderland and England), the Pirates of the Caribbean movies are full of Greek mythology like Hercules is. And now George of the Jungle is clearly a lot like Deep Jungle/Tarzan.**

**But then when I decided that Kairi and Riku would believe that Sora is in a data world… I didn't know if this would fit, because would it still seem like filler? I thought about skipping this world altogether, but in the end I'm glad I didn't. And I hope you all feel the same way, too.**

**Another issue I had, is that this movie is mostly comedic and this story… is not. Hopefully I struck some sort of balance here, but IDK.**

**I almost feel like there should have been more dialogue and stuff from the George of the Jungle characters here—and more George—but whatever. This chapter is finally done, and I'm glad about it.**

**…I feel like there was a lot I wanted to say here, but now I kind of forget. If I remember, I might add on.**

**Ben is from the Disney Channel Original Movie "Smart House". Originally, I was going to have FFX-2!Yuna to somewhat beware Kairi of chasing dreams… but then I realized that that didn't work for obvious reasons, so Ben it became.**

**Oh. And since Re:Mind isn't canon to this story, I tried to have everyone looking for Sora in ways that they aren't in canon… though Mickey, Donald, and Goofy are doing what Kairi is in Melody of Memory. Haha.**

**And I'm sorry if there are a ton of mistakes here (though hopefully there aren't). I rewrote most of this… and am too lazy to go back and reread those sections. So, yeah.**

**Welp, see you all soon. I hope. **

**I hope everyone's having a great October thus far!**

**Edit: I'm also going with that Destiny Islands didn't have bananas here. So shh.**

**Edit 2: I swear there isn't going to be a lot of time travel in this, if any more at all. It was only "there" last time-though not even that-because I wanted Kairi and Riku to be in Dead Men Tell No Tales. And while it's sooooooooooooooooomewhat story important here, I mostly did it to try and spice up this comedic movie some. Yeah.**

**Edit 3: Kairi defending her virginity with a hairbrush is a reference to sunflowerb on fanfiction's amazing "Smile and Nod" story.**


	6. Thunder and Lightning

**Author's Note: Just so you all know, the world they're visiting in this chapter is Pixel Perfect.**

**Thunder and Lightning **

**Sora's PoV**

Sora and Yozora were walking through Yozora's castle now-a temporary reprieve that Sora knew Yozora was giving him, since Sora was useless without his Keyblade-but Sora appreciated it for what it was.

Eventually, Yozora asked him the question that Sora knew he would, whilst he was taking in the grapes engraved into the walls beside him.

"Tell me about your Stella."

"Her name's Kairi. She's feisty... and I love it. And unlike you, I wouldn't lock her up for it," Sora quipped, even in knowing he was on thin ice here.

"Stella tried to kill me and enslave my entire country, Sora. Somehow, I think you'd be less than forgiving of Kairi if she did the same to you."

And Sora wanted to argue that he would be... and that Kairi would never do something like that, so it was a moot point. And that maybe it was somewhat justified, since Yozora could turn into a possessed asshole.

But he didn't. Instead, he said arrogantly as he noticed the walls turning darker and darker-perhaps to hint at the end of his freedom-"You still shouldn't have put her in that box. Even though with her Princess of Heart-like powers, she can be the world's hope."

"...Even if the cost of giving her better living conditions was the World?" Yozora asked, with sorrow in his voice, as he placed a hand upon Sora's shoulder. And Sora hated this closeness... hated Yozora being like this, because it made him doubt everything.

The truth was, he had put his duty before Kairi for a long time. And he'd finally chosen her over it, in deciding to die for her... But if it ever came down to it... when he did get back to Kairi and the choice ever came, would he choose her life over the World's? Sora wasn't sure.

"No, probably not..." and it was for his hideous answer here, that Sora would allow himself to be locked up again this time.

The original being of Yozora was too dangerous for Yozora's world of Verum Rex, after all. What if the former's subjects started to listen to him instead? That was Yozora'a fear... and even Sora's, somewhat.

**Kairi's PoV**

"Kairi, you really shouldn't be doing this," Pip admonished Kairi, as he hopped into the gummi ship's bathroom, and saw her pick up a razor that she'd meant to slice her legs open with.

And because Kairi cared about her new best friend's innocent eyes, she didn't do so before him… but she promised the nagging thought in the back of her head, that she would later.

"And if you don't stop what you're doing, I'll tell Riku and make sure he sends you to therapy."

Well, that put a damper on things, didn't it? Because even with as much progress she and Riku had made lately, Kairi still didn't want him knowing this little secret of hers.

Kairi thought that, perhaps, she could lie to Pip now and hurt herself in secret later, but she also wasn't going to risk it… at least not at the moment. So, instead, she leaned over where Pip was sitting on the sink and kissed the top of head. "Thank you so much, my most cherished friend, for keeping me in a good head space," she whispered.

And the princess meant it—that was true—since the bonds between humans and animals were often times even stronger than that of humans', since the love there was unconditional. But she was also trying to get him off her back, it was true.

Kairi even found herself thinking how she'd received a few kisses to the cheek at the last world. Riku's made sense, it had been brotherly… but since kisses on the cheek usually were between family and friends, Kairi found herself wondering if that meant something when it came to Ava or not.

"Kairi, are you okay?" Pip asked, as he craned his head to the side and regarded her now. And since Kairi didn't exactly have a good answer for him, she wondered if he might go write about it to try and figure out her "character".

"I don't know, Pip… I think there might be some sort of connection between the Foreteller Ava and me—she seemed somehow familiar—but I can't imagine what it would be." She couldn't be another Nobody of hers, could she? Or a Replica? But then, that didn't make sense, seeing as how Master Yen Sid seemed to think they were from the distant past.

"She seems to have some sort of time magic," Pip muttered now, as he now seemed to be on the wavelength of theorizing with Kairi. Which was good. So good, for so many reasons… "What do you think that could mean?"

"I- have no idea," Kairi answered. And knowing so little about their new enemy terrified her, so that she forgot about the blade in her hand and it fell to her leg and cut her of its own accord. She smiled at the pain; and Pip may have teared up just the slightest bit as Kairi was hurt by some unforgiving fate.

…

"I think the world my gummiphone has pinned is actually a data one this time," Riku was telling Kairi, as she made her way out of the restroom and joined him by the driver's seat. The picture on his phone certainly looked "data" enough for Kairi, with some swirling neon green web wrapped around part of the world.

Speaking of green, if Kairi looked close enough… Riku's hair had the faintest tint of that color in it now. She wondered if that had to do with when they were swimming in the Caribbean. Or if his hair was slightly changing color with age, and she just hadn't noticed it now—as wrapped up as she was with Sora, even if she was trying to care about Riku again—it could have been either, neither, or both, she supposed.

"You know what else I've noticed, Riku?" Kairi questioned now, as she went and stood beside some of the sharper jade areas of his gummi ship, almost wishing they were the amethyst of her own for some reason. "I think the theory that Sora was going to worlds I'd like is a flop… I don't think he's been able to leave wherever it is that he's at. And maybe, if we think he was originally sending us to worlds I'd like by being on the same wavelength as me—us—I think he's stopped now, for whatever reason. But that's okay… I'm a quitter too, aren't I?"

And there were numerous examples of this that Kairi could think of… How she'd told Donald and Goofy that she wouldn't leave Sora and Riku behind, only to run away as a Heartless (Sora, though she hadn't known that at the time) had approached her… how she'd told Sora and Riku that wherever one of them went, the other followed from now on… only to not train at all between the boys' defeat of Xemnas and their Mark of Mastery exam, so that they had to leave her again… Or how she'd told Sora she'd protect him in the Keyblade War, but really hadn't… so that he'd had to make the ultimate sacrifice for her.

She thought now, that maybe she even should have held onto some of her recent anger at Riku—for "stealing" a spotlight that she wished was hers, or that she could at least share—and for liking Sora (had there ever been a moment where he'd been a rival for his affections)? But she couldn't bring herself to do it. If Riku was "quitting Sora" to be her friend again, then she would easily do the same.

Maybe the truth was, they were all quitters. Like, Sora hadn't seemed too adamant about trying for the Mark again, after he'd failed… and he'd given up on life to save her, even though Kairi wouldn't have made that choice for them herself. So why should this new development even surprise her? It was old news at this point, really.

And Kairi didn't even realize she'd fallen into the co-pilot seat and was ridiculously crying—sobbing, even—until Riku was kneeling at her feet and then wrapping her in a hug. "Let it all out, Kairi… I think you've been trying to be too strong for too long… I imagine you think you've cried too much. But Kairi, there's just too much going on… if you don't allow yourself to feel, it'll suffocate you. So, come apart."

And Kairi noticed that as he was telling he this, he himself had begun to shake and there were slight tears falling from his eyes, too. And Kairi held onto Riku, as if he was her anchor at sea—she imagined that she was that to him now; and Gods, why hadn't they allowed themselves to grieve for their best friend together until now?—and she wondered just how long Riku had kept everything locked tight, in trying to be there for her. She'd been the worst friend ever… to both Sora and Riku, in so many was because she was weak. But maybe she could finally be strong now?

"Riku…" Kairi whispered, for she thought if she tried to make her voice go louder than this, she might not ever be able to say what she had to now. "When we find Riku… you can have him. You love him, I know. And you deserve him so more than I do, so…"

Except that Riku was telling Kairi not to be stupid the moment she was speaking. "Sora loves you, Kairi. You. He always has, and I imagine he always will. And I know you love him, too. 'Deserving' has nothing to do with loving. You two taught me that. And you've done more than you know. What I want more than anything now, is for the two of you to live happy and long lives together. You've both earned that. Hell, we've all earned seeing you guys get that. And how do you know that Sora isn't guiding us to worlds you love now, even with the data connection? Do you just hate yourself that much? Believe in your heart, Kairi… like Sora always did, and always will."

Kairi wanted to tease Riku here, that his speech was too perfect and he really sounded like Sora again. But she didn't. Because she didn't want everything between them to just be about Sora anymore. It hadn't used to be, and she wanted to capture those days again.

So Kairi followed her heart, and pulled out some of the alcohol she'd saved from George and Ursula's wedding—she'd thought that maybe she'd been being a baby in only enjoying cyder in that world, and that maybe she should try to be spirited as Riku had been—and gave it to Riku in thanks, since she knew he loved the stuff.

She then directed the gummi ship to take them to the world that Riku's phone had connected to, praying that this would be the world they'd finally find Sora and they could both tackle-hug him.

…Kairi hadn't told Riku what the Master of Masters had done to her last time—how he'd picked a fight with her and knocked her out—because she didn't want to worry him, or make him feel horrible for having missed that while enjoying the party.

And he'd deserved to enjoy that party, as even she knew they sometimes needed some joy now… The brain could only take so much pain and trauma, after all.

But there was something about his fixation on her, that bothered Kairi. And she had no idea why he had one, because it was starting to seem like it had nothing to do whatever plans he probably had with the Princesses of Heart so he could rule the worlds.

As Kairi bit into her lip, as they were being pulled into this new destination's atmosphere, she prayed to the gods on Mount Olympus, that she wouldn't run into him here.

"Kairi," Pip said, as he sat on her head now. "If that freak makes a show again, I'll bite him in the jugular and kill him." And Kairi sincerely hoped that he would.

…

The new world that the two were in was very suburban. And Kairi thought that the weather was fair here, for what looked like fall.

Kairi was about to mention to Riku, that the brown leaves looked lovely near so many roofs of the same color, but she was distracted when she took in a woman who looked like Naminé—though older—fighting a foe that Kairi had never seen before.

She thought they were probably Heartless… but they had an almost faded effect to them, that Kairi had never seen with the beasts before. And she might have been imagining things… but it didn't seem like they were easy to defeat, but rather would disappear and reappear somewhere else.

The woman was fighting them with what appeared to be a trident and light magic—and so Kairi wondered if she was like Keyblade wielders—but she was also singing some opera-like tune… it was pretty.

And just as she'd finished up her ditty, a massive hand seemed to appear out of the ether and smashed many of the Heartless surrounding her, before dissipating again.

But as even that wasn't enough to get rid of the menace, Kairi and Riku decided to stop gawking at that moment and go help the lady out.

"Naminé!" Riku yelled, as he charged her way… and while Riku was clearly wrong and this wasn't Naminé—but Kairi could easily see why he'd make that mistake—it made her heart soar to know that he cared so much about her former Nobody.

Kairi shot a homing Firaga spell at all of the Heartless around her, and Riku used his Dark Firaga to get at all the ones around him. And within a few moments, the threat that all three of them had been fighting so surely finally ended.

Before Kairi or Riku could say anything to the woman, however, she was already speaking herself. "If you don't mind… please don't tell anyone you saw me using such magic. My city is mostly normal, and I don't how they'd react to it… But when these creatures showed up, I also couldn't simply stand by and do nothing."

"Of course we won't. Just thank you for doing what you do, Miss…" Riku began.

And here, the platinum blonde smiled ever so slightly. "Lunafreya. And of course. Thank you for your aid, as well. Before I followed the call to try and best these beasts, my boyfriend—Noctis—also took up the mantle to try and fight them. Though it did not go well for him, and he ended up in the hospital soon after. I wonder if he somehow could have been allergic to him. But seeing you two battle… it gives me hope that maybe we are supposed to do this, and he'll be alright. And in fact, I should really be with him right now for moral support."

And before the friends could introduce themselves, this Lunafreya was already running away. Kairi could hardly blame her—for if it was Sora, she knew that she and Riku would be the same. She prayed that the girl's boyfriend would be alright, and that these new Heartless would stop making such a scene.

But speaking of the girl's similar looks to Naminé, Kairi remembered something she had to do. She pulled out her gummi phone and left her sister a voice mail—since it seemed she still wouldn't answer her phone—and spoke from her heart. "Naminé, Sora's fate right now has nothing to do with what happened in Castle Oblivion. None of that was your fault. And you brought Sora and I back together, when the Organization would have kept us apart. You put too much on your shoulders… but I know that I'm the same. Go out… and have fun. Let all of your pain go. From the way you dress, I feel like you'd be a lovely figure skater. Maybe go out and give that a try—make a day of it—and get back to Riku and me when you see the beautiful girl when you look in the mirror that we do."

And Kairi made sure that Riku's self-satisfied "hmph" was heard over the speaker, before she hung up and preceded into some sort of strange restaurant before them.

…

The first thing Kairi heard, when she went into the restaurant that wasn't a bar—since it was going for a family atmosphere—but was still clearly trying to be a bar, was loud rock music. And though Kairi had been miserable lately… she felt herself feeling good again, in hearing it.

Once upon a time, she'd been edgy, after all. So, the music was actually right up her alley.

And the dancer on stage was amazing! Her moves reminded Kairi a lot of Aqua… and of Sora. So needless to say, she was transfixed.

"You may find me just a little strange... I like dancing barefoot in the pouring rain," the singer—the same person as the amazing dancer—sang. And Kairi couldn't help relating to these lyrics. Hadn't she just thought about the girl she had been, who had loved Queen and all? (1) And she'd always loved water, with her namesake and all…

Kairi was having... fun here, as strobe lights danced over her when they were meant to travel over the band instead.

But Riku brought her attention back to the matter at hand, in speaking in terms that Kairi couldn't help feeling didn't belong in this place. "I wonder how this is a data world?" And she had to wonder the same thing… though a large part of her thought that it wasn't that at all, and they'd somehow gotten off track.

"I don't know. But we'll find out, we always do," Kairi answered sternly. But then she found herself being drawn into the show before her again.

Or, she was at first. But then Kairi spotted a redhead like herself standing at the back of the stage... and looking towards the blonde singer resentfully. And Kairi found herself thinking that... if she'd been as lost in the past as she currently was now, that maybe she would have been as jealous of Naminé, as this girl was of their lead singer.

And maybe it was that empathy that she still felt within her heart that prompted Kairi to act. "Do you see that girl? …She looks so upset, Riku. I'm going to see if she needs a glass of water or something."

"...Kairi, they're in the middle of a performance. You just can't-"

"But I can."

And without stopping to overthink it, Kairi went up on stage and asked the redhead if she was alright... to which the girl's reply was a clearly baffled, "Yes." But Kairi could tell she was lying.

But the princess had been so caught up in this poor girl seeming to be heartbroken, that she'd missed what Riku had been getting at earlier: Kairi was near ruining this band's performance!

But fortunately, since Kairi always had a melodic-sounding speaking voice, and often spoke poetically—and since she'd nearly sat in the girl's lap, as she'd gotten so close to question her—the judge thought it was part of the group's act and gave them a gig, after the blonde's voice rose beautifully.

And somewhat bashful now, the ginger took Kairi's hand in her own and thanked her. "Uhh, it's weird to say… but thank you for caring about me? And coming up on stage like you did? It actually seemed to help us get the gig, so…"

"Seriously." Said a new voice on the scene. But if Kairi thought about it, she imagined she might have seen him in the front row watching them the whole time. He had short, spiky hair and eyes that seemed to smile from behind his glasses. He reminded Kairi of Sora a little bit, just in looks alone, but he was so unlike him in other ways. "You have no idea how long Sam has been waiting for a chance like this. She might not tell you how thankful she is—she's gotta hide behind that cold aloofness, after all—but I know how much this means to her, so thanks. I'm Roscoe, by the way."

"Kairi," the New Seven Heart introduced herself, as she pointed a finger to her chest. She then indicated Riku. "And this is my best friend Riku. And I'm so glad that I was able to help… but I'm confused. I assumed this was the blonde's band."

And just as Kairi said that, said blonde girl—Loretta, she would soon learn—blinked out of existence as they all stood backstage.

Roscoe—and to a lesser extent, Sam—seemed clearly panicked that Kairi and Riku had just seen that, but Kairi (and Riku too, she was sure) thought it was the coolest thing in the world. So, their lead singer was a hologram! Was that why they had been called here?

"I guess I get why it's Sam's band now," Kairi whispered, whilst she kept staring at where Loretta had just been, waiting for her to come back again—though it seemed she wouldn't at the moment, because Roscoe's laptop was out of battery—"and I think it's neat. If you want… Riku and I can be a part of your band, so you have more people in it and since the judge seemed to like me."

And after Sam and Roscoe exchanged a look, they seemed to decide that that was a fine idea. So, the two from Destiny Islands headed over to Sam's house.

…

And it was when Kairi was going under the beads hanging over the door at the top of the stairs—and trying to make an entrance—that Riku pulled her aside. "Kairi… I get that maybe one of your dreams was to be a rock star. Who's isn't? But I think you should slow your roll some. It's clear that Loretta stole Sam's dream, for whatever reason. And you don't want to do the same, do you?"

And Kairi certainly knew what Riku was talking about, just as an image of Sam's jealous and pained expression returned to her. Right. She wouldn't do anything to cause Sam more pain—even if an evil part of her wanted everyone to ache the way that she was right now—so that also meant no finding a way to get Pip involved in the routine. She gave him a meaningful look now, so he'd know not to begin singing to "Nothing's Wrong With Me"—the song from this band that Kairi had just learned—and then sat down on the floor amidst new friends, pretzels, drinks, and board games.

"So… why do you have a hologram as the lead singer, if you want to be the star, Sam?" Kairi asked the question that had been plaguing her mind for a half-an-hour now, as she inched closer to the other girl.

But Sam—even though she didn't seem to have an issue with Kairi herself—didn't seem to enjoy the proximity. What? Did she think she was competition too, and was trying to compare their bodies as she got closer to her?

That seemed to be the answer. Because after holding the bridge of her nose and sighing irritably, Sam responded with: "Because apparently, if you want to be a singer now you also have to dance. And be hot."

'But you're definitely hot,' Kairi found herself thinking about Sam, but not saying out loud since she didn't know how well that would go over. She was, however, about to say that she could teach Sam how to dance if she wanted to, but before she could Riku was speaking.

"That's... rough. And seems unfair. Who comes up with these dumb rules?" Riku muttered, crossing his arms over his chest and shaking his head. And Kairi wondered if he was thinking about what she was: of some of Sora's rough dancing—when he'd wanted to be an idol—before he'd gotten good at it... But people still hadn't turned him down from singing when he'd been unable to dance. What a critical world this was.

"It is rough," Roscoe allowed. He was fiddling with his computer and seeming to be downloading some new outfits for Loretta to wear. And Kairi didn't know how to feel, with him being here kindly defending Sam… while his mind was in cyberspace, seemingly being Loretta's number one fanboy. "But Sam's music is too good not to get out there. She's worked too hard. And if nothing else, I'm glad Loretta can help her to succeed."

Except that it sucked that Sam couldn't make it succeed with her own talent in this heartless world! Kairi somewhat knew the feeling: of how, during the Keyblade War, she'd probably learned fast and done better than anyone else who had never held a weapon before would have… but it still hadn't been enough. And she hated everything for that reason.

"…If you want, Sam, maybe I can be your back-up dancer? Maybe you can watch me as you do backup vocals and play your guitar, and can eventually carry some of that into your own routine. Background dancing is easy, and I'm sure you can pick it up no problem. Riku can help, too… He's a pretty good dancer. But more than that, he's a good singer… Even better than me, when usually girls are supposed to sing better than boys or whatever."

"That sounds… really sweet. Thank you, Kairi. I'd love that. And if Riku wants to help, too! The Zetta Bytes doesn't have any guy vocalists, but maybe that's exactly what it needs to make it to the top!"

"We're going to be stars!" Someone exclaimed. And at first, Kairi had thought that it was her—because Riku was right about this being a dream of hers… about it being anyone's dream, really—but she was shocked to see that it had been Riku, as he punched at the sky… Apparently he wasn't as above seeking stardom as he had wanted to believe. And it was refreshing to see.

Everyone laughed, but then they threw themselves into mastering some new songs. Loretta too, for she was up and running again—with a new blue shirt with a circle on it, as opposed to the white blouse and pants she'd been wearing earlier—and Kairi couldn't help noticing that Loretta sent Sam some nasty looks now and then… even while Roscoe fiddled with making Loretta's voice even better.

And all of that would spill into a very cruel discussion that Sam and Loretta would have with each other, that Kairi would not recount because she wanted women to support women, okay? …Not this.

…

"So, Kairi… Do you think we're here to make Roscoe realize he's missing the great girl in front of him, as opposed to his invention that he's fallen in love with?" Riku asked Kairi, as the two of them were walking downtown to find stylish outfits to go with Sam's new song "Get Real". Kairi supposed they really should have been finding ensembles for "Notice Me", what they were going to sing at their gig—where a number of record companies would be, apparently—but since that was the song that Sam and Loretta had had a huge fight over, it now left a bad taste in her mouth… even if it was a lovely song that Kairi could understand.

"I suppose that's possible, since romance seems to be a big deal in a lot of the worlds we go to. And Sora and I are in a romance… but I don't know. We could just as easily be here to defeat the strange Heartless here.

"Which, speaking of… I think they are part hologram. Which makes it seem like they're connected to Loretta. But how? Do we think she's getting real emotions and creating something like the Unversed?" Kairi pondered. And it was just when she had mentioned said Heartless, that more showed up that moment to attack her and Riku.

Kairi swatted him here, but then they would just show up again over there. It was frustrating… and she wished that Luna were here to help them again, but she also didn't: since Luna not being here hopefully meant she was spending some lovely time with her healed boyfriend.

Eventually, Kairi and Riku learned if they used water on these Heartless and then electrocuted them, it would destroy them… But then one hundred more showed up to take their place. But defeating them like this was the best lead they had… so they would keep at it. And they did.

…

Unfortunately, Kairi and Riku showed up late for their moment… and a right mess. Thankfully, they were on deck and weren't supposed to be on stage yet, but it was still a nightmare. The part of Kairi who had been a punctual girl going to school still, while Sora and Riku had been off being heroes, was horrified at herself.

Riku was a guy and had it easier than her… so once he'd splashed some water onto his face, he was up on stage making sure their equipment was ready. He even took Pip with him, so he could tell Riku if even a toddler would be able to see them from the balcony if a parent held them in their lap.

And while Riku and Pip were out bonding, Kairi heard an angry conversation between Sam and Roscoe and it almost made her sick.

"I just… want to know what part of me you used to make her. What part you thought was good enough to keep."

On stage, music had started up. Kairi assumed that the band before them had ordered Riku to worry about their equipment later and give them their turn, already. Kairi heard the lyrics "don't even try it" being sung, but all she could listen to was Rosco's whispered answer of, "…I gave her your ears."

And now Sam was storming off angrily—Kairi could hardly blame her—to the stage where Riku and even Loretta were presumably already at. Kairi should have been going in that direction, too, but she was rooted to the spot… and ashamedly let Loretta, Sam, Riku, and even Pip perform without her.

Because she was just… so disgusted that Rosco was clearly in love with Sam—even if he couldn't see it—but was so lost in a pursuit of perfection, that the only thing he'd taken from the girl of his dreams to put "onto perfection" were her ears!

Kairi was near walking up to Rosco and yelling at him for this… when she heard mad cheering coming from out near the stage. And there were shouts of "she's not real!", "she's a hologram!"

…So, it seemed that the crowd had learned Loretta's secret but didn't care. Rather, they seemed to love the Zetta Bytes more as they screamed out for them to do an encore now. And Kairi was finally found where she was at backstage, pulled on stage, and forced to sing for their gleeful audience: their gleeful audience who had apparently just gotten them a record deal—Sam was whispering in Kairi's ear now—and was snapping picture after picture.

Still in a daze, as she carried her violin backstage, Kairi mostly missed Loretta wanting to go outside where it was raining and telling Rosco that he should have made her real.

…

Kairi and Riku—now that they were richer than they had ever been before, and in just a few days' time. Who would've guessed?—were staying at a lush apartment together. Though it wasn't just lush because they were being selfish! No, it needed all the technological advancements, because sometimes Rosco asked the two to house Loretta here… since Rosco's dad now wanted to steal her for his business.

(And speaking of Loretta, Kairi was closer to her than she ever had been before. The two of them had recently had a conversation… Kairi had told Loretta that she'd heard some of her conversation. And that she somewhat understood her, because she'd once had another version of herself that hadn't been real: a version that sometimes Kairi could see the memories of. And Loretta had smiled, then, and stolen all of these clothes online for Kairi and had had them shipped here… Not that Kairi had wanted her to do that. But it was done now, and Kairi was happy for the attempt at friendship.)

But anyway… the group was finally about to do something with Kairi's favorite song "Get Real"—to record a demo of it, actually—and while they waited for the limo to come pick them up, Kairi found herself doing some research on the laptop she had here.

"…Riku, the Internet tells me that I'm right. Holograms should be incorporeal. So it can't be holograms we're fighting, right? Unless the darkness has found a way to possess them and change their consistency?" Kairi asked, as she nibbled at a mushroom. She had used to hate these fungi when they'd lived on Destiny Islands… but she'd become stronger in doing things she thought she'd never be able to, so why not also this?

"It's a good theory," Riku admitted. But just as soon as he was done saying those few words, he dove back for another drink of water. Kairi swore that ever since he'd discovered just what a good singer he was here, it seemed like he was drinking a gallon a minute.

But she wouldn't complain. After everything Riku had been through, he deserved to have a little fun. And water was good for you, anyway.

"But what if they're this way because it has something to do with Sora? Going off of the theory that he's somehow controlling the worlds we're going to."

Kairi playfully threw a pillow at Riku for that remark (which he just laughed at, before he gently put it on the couch beside him, then).

This room was so big… and there were so many red plush pillows around them, that she doubted anyone would notice one had been moved, if they came into the room now.

She got where Riku was coming from, of course… Since this place reminded Kairi a lot of what had happened to Sora at Castle Oblivion—and could he have wanted them to see something in that? Like how he wanted to thank Naminé still?—but in order to do what Riku was saying… it suggested that Sora would have used the power of darkness to make it happen. And Kairi just couldn't imagine that.

"Maybe the world is supposed to tell us something about you…" Kairi started now, as she put a finger under her chin and considered. "You told me that when you went to the Grid during your Mark of Mastery, that a Flynn had to realize that perfection was right in front of him. Do you think the same thing is going on here, and we have to help Rosco—and maybe his dad, who invented this technology—see that?"

Now it was Riku's turn to consider, as he came closer to sit beside Kairi.

And man, how she had missed being close to her older brother like this. How had she ever pushed him away?

"Maybe… in which case, I'll go talk to the men here. Maybe it'll help us 'finish this world', so we can get our next clue about Sora. You keep working on the Heartless riddle."

Kairi didn't have to be told twice. And she didn't watch Riku go, but rather desperately looking at her screen again. She would have liked an excuse to eat more before she got back to work... but oh well. Riku had given her an order, so she would follow it. Her health be damned.

**Riku's PoV**

It was funny how fast things changed, Riku thought. He'd just been in this world for a few weeks, and he and his friends were somehow already popstars.

But he should have supposed this sort of thing was possible, since he'd been the one to say during his Mark of Mastery exam that time moved differently in every world.

And boy, did it. It made no sense that he should feel no nervousness in now being on the billboard charts, but was scared to just have dinner with his new friend and his father. Yet here he was, anyway.

And since Riku was here on a mission, he decided to rip the bandage off and get to the heart of the issue. "Sir… I hate to say this… but Rosco's mother left you, didn't she? And is that why you started working in holograms… and why this house is so immaculate?"

Rosco breathed sharply at Riku's line of questioning, and he dropped his knife and fork onto his plate in a loud clutter. "Riku-" Rosco started, in turning betrayed eyes towards Riku: a gaze that he held, because he'd done way worse than this, of course. "Why-"

But the man who was just Rosco in thirty-years-time—if he didn't change his ways—held a hand up, to halt whatever defense Rosco may have laid at his father's feet. And he laughed without humor. "Why deny what this man has so easily seen? Especially when I have no one to blame but myself for my own unhappiness.

"Listen to this, Roscoe," And the middle-aged man held up his wineglass into the light spilling in from the window. "Look at all of the colors this refracts. One would easily look at this and deem it as perfection, wouldn't they? Except if you look just here, this cup is splintered at the side… But somehow, that allows it to make even more patterns on the wall. So, it's quite perfect in its perfection, isn't it?"

Riku could practically see the wheels turning in Roscoe's head here. And he wondered if he was imagining the lipstick he saw on the corner of his lips. Had Sam kissed him earlier, or-

"So, you're saying that even a- design flaw is something that can be beautiful and should be ignored?"

"I think," Riku chimed in—his thoughts thinking about both his best friends Sora and Kairi here. Naminé, too—"that perfection is something we made up in our heads. And the more we chase it, instead of trying to love without boundaries, the more insane we become and the more harm we do."

"Precisely," Roscoe's father said with a sharp nod and smile in Riku's direction, as the three of them finally dug into their steaks.

**Kairi's PoV**

In the near future—when everything would go horribly wrong with Sam—Kairi would realize she should have known that Loretta would take too long getting there.

She had come to Kairi in her dreams—much like Ava had. But Kairi sensed that this was somehow more… real than what had occurred with that Foreteller, maybe—and when Kairi was at first confused about this, Loretta waved her concern away with a flick of her hand.

"I think the girl who was once in you—your Nobody, I believe you said—delved into machinery that connected to her mind. And because of that, I can get into your mind. But Kairi… Harshtone Records wants to steal my will. All holograms they now create's wills, actually. But Daryl Fibbs is offering me my freedom. He's going to upload me onto the net and act like I just got away… so I'm not going to be able to be at our next performance from the get-go. You need to stall. But you think this was the right choice, right?"

"Yes," Kairi promised the girl, as she got up out of her bed in this dream and strode forward to touch Loretta's face—for she felt the blonde wanted to feel anything, and it broke her heart that she was still unable to—"you're definitely growing your own heart. I've- seen that, now that I think about it. So, don't let anyone take that away from you. I'll stall as long as I need to. Take- take care, Loretta."

And while Kairi didn't know it at the time, that would be the last time that she really got to see Loretta… and that they'd be on good terms.

…

As Loretta had promised, she wasn't there right away when they were debuting "Get Real" for the first time.

And the people wanted Loretta… so Sam had chosen to go on stage pretending to be her. She had a wig for it… and Loretta's ears, as well as part of her voice. Sam also knew Loretta's moves like no one else did—of course she did. This band was really hers—and had apparently been practicing Loretta's dancing in her spare time.

So even while Kairi thought she could have handled Loretta's dancing better—she had the Keyblade, after all. And that gave her certain powers—she didn't want to destroy Sam's confidence even more than it already had been. So both she and Riku smiled and nodded at Sam when she jumped into the fray… And while it started out okay—with Sam twirling and flipping like the rest of them—it ended in disaster: with Sam falling off the stage and banging her head on the concrete.

She was unconscious immediately, and responding to nothing… in a coma, it would seem. "Riku, Roscoe's panicking! Tell him he needs to call the hospital of this world! We can't heal her; you know we can't. Not out of a coma. But maybe there's something else we can do… unless-"

What if Kairi went into a coma, too, and tried to find Sam in the haze?

Riku, seeming to read Kairi's mind like he so often did these days, was shaking his head at her as Kairi rose to her feet. But she was paying him no heed. Instead, she stabbed herself in the heart with Destiny's Embrace, just like Sora had for her years ago.

Kairi didn't mean to release her heart or anything like that, but rather have a near death experience. And she knew that Riku could chastely kiss her to wake her up. It wouldn't be a kiss of love... but he did love her, so Kairi knew that that would work, as her eyes closed and her mind drifted elsewhere.

…And though a part of her had selfishly wanted to see Sora when she fell asleep, it was actually Sam who Kairi witnessed... and she was glad for it.

The poor girl looked like a drowned rat. And it seemed as though she couldn't speak... or that if she could, talking took too much effort for her to even want to do it. She strummed a broken guitar; and when Loretta found her—what was she doing here?—Kairi tried to decide, as she hung back now—the guitar seemed to be the only thing that Sam cared about. "It's broken," she whispered listless, as Kairi crept slightly closer to the two girls in this barren wasteland.

"No, it's not," Loretta said with the sweetest of smiles, that Kairi had ever seen and with a false smile. "You're just looking at it the wrong way." Loretta then gently touched the acoustic guitar, and it was instantly restored...

And Kairi—as she stood there in a lovely gust of wind, that turned the desert into a lush meadow—couldn't help thinking that these were the powers a Princess of Heart should have had... but she didn't.

She was just destruction now.

The torrent had pushed Kairi further back; and more hologram Heartless showed up to help keep it that way.

If she was hearing correctly, Sam was now telling Loretta that this sort of thing was why she'd been so jealous of her. Because she was perfect.

And Loretta snorted, in what was a beautiful moment—or at least should have been, because Kairi couldn't help feeling… suspicious—and poured her heart out. "If I'm perfect, then why do I feel so limited?! You can grow… change… get better. And I'll always just be this… Which is why youneed to wake up."

Except… why didn't Kairi believe Loretta as far as she could throw her? Why did this whole area feel as though it was charged with lies?

If Kairi was being honest with herself… she had used to think that Naminé had once been a manifestation of her insecurities. A part of herself that she couldn't forgive. But in her heart now… had Loretta somehow become that?

Very many things seemed to happen then, in just the blink of an eye.

Kairi found herself waking up, ever so slightly, and this world blurring, as she felt Riku's lips pecking hers.

And Kairi heard Loretta telling Sam that she was currently healing her body... but she'd unintentionally taken it over, but that she would give it back in a moment... But did Kairi really believe that?

Kairi felt rain all around her—and ignored how Loretta had always wanted to feel that, and how now was probably her only chance to—and then there was a flash of lightning. And Kairi didn't know what would and would not be out there in the real world, when the flash ended.

So, she dove at Loretta, just as Kairi thought she felt Riku jumping at something, too (was he shaking her body, trying to get her to wake up?), and struck her with her Keyblade... with water and electricity coming off of it.

And Loretta smiled—something that would haunt Kairi's nightmares forever—and then broke apart: like an astral body shattering into pieces and giving way to light.

And then Kairi was in her own body again—in the hospital?—and Sam was to the side of her… sobbing about Loretta. For in her mind, Loretta had just somehow died as the two of them had finally become friends. And maybe she had. And maybe Kairi had been responsible for it, because she thought that she was trying to steal Sam's body for her own.

She… she was a murderer! And for some reason, Riku seemed as shaken as Kairi herself was about something. What? Had he thought he was close to losing her, too?

"Roscoe, you should… you should just create Loretta again. You have the files, right?" Kairi cried, sitting up as nurses ordered her not to. But even as she said that, she knew it would be a cop-out because it wouldn't quite be the same Loretta they had all known and come to love.

And everyone seemed to realize that, too. So, they said nothing, and just tried to move on… and move on, they did.

Shockingly, the Zetta Bytes made it without Loretta, since everyone had been amazed by Sam's performance when the news got out that it had been her going that far for her beloved audience, and not Loretta. The public was actually pretty understanding in general at the loss of Loretta, as they saw how disturbed the band was without her.

Sam was having a concert now (with her now-boyfriend, Roscoe, happily waiting in the wings)—a more laid-back one, as she sat on a stool and sang about the rain falling—and Kairi and Riku were aiding her in it, to try and help her get her footing without Loretta (until her new band mates Rachel and Cindy got here).

And while Kairi thought Riku in particular did a good job in harmonizing with Sam… it was nothing like Loretta would have done. Kairi wishes that the poor girl was here, to be on Sam's side just like this, but she wasn't.

And that was why Kairi was again feeling like she deserved nothing again… and that she should just stay here and bury herself, instead of finding her life's dream in Sora.

It was on one day when Kairi was buried under her covers on the couch, staring unseeing at the TV before her, that Pip tried to get through to her. "Kairi… what happened to Loretta? I was watching that whole scene from your hood. And I don't think it was you. I think-"

"What-" Kairi started.

But she was cut off, when there was suddenly a Corridor of Light in front of her and a beautiful girl standing in front of her in her living room. She was gorgeous, with long black hair, yellow eyes, a white and black jacket, and a jean skirt.

"Who are you?" Kairi asked, as she cocked her head to the side and regarded the girl. Because that's what you did in this sort of situation.

"I… am someone who was experimented on by Ansem, just like you. Though… he did much worse to me, if you don't mind my saying. But then- then I was taken away, to a place with spaceships and holograms. I was- locked away there. But I finally learned how to mess with their technology… and I ended up here. Finally, free. I- I don't know my name, though. How silly is that? I believe it may have started with an 'S', but I don't know. You can call me… Soul, I suppose."

"I-" There was so much Kairi wanted to say to all of this. So much she wanted to do.

First off, this girl seemed like she had just escaped from some terrible fate, so she and Riku needed to take her somewhere safe as soon as possible.

And they would. That was why Kairi screamed at Riku to join her now, and started rambling as she pointed at the girl who was now hiding under their sofa.

Secondly, Kairi figured they had just cracked where the hologram Heartless in this world had come from. "Soul" had somehow created them in trying to escape her prison.

And thirdly, "Where you're from… it sounds like a great prison to keep someone you don't want to be found, doesn't it, Soul?"

"Con-considering that I've been there for near thirteen years—and no one ever found me—I would say so," Soul answered. She was slightly calmer now. Riku had called Merlin on the gummiphone, and he'd teleported over here post-haste. He was now entertaining Soul with some of his magic… and had even put her in a lovely purple dress to try and disguise her from her captors.

"And, question: if the Heartless you created somehow created a path to this world, do you think it works in reverse?"

But Kairi didn't wait to hear the answer to that. She ran outside with Riku and waited. With the hearts of two Keyblade wielders in front of them, no doubt Heartless would be cornering them soo-

There they were!

Before Kairi could think better of it, she grabbed Riku's hand and dove with her hand outstretched towards one. And as her flesh touched its… data? Kairi soon found herself, Riku, and Pip transported to somewhere else entirely: with constellations as far as the eye could see.

Kairi felt horrid that she was leaving things with the Zetta Bytes as badly as she did… but maybe it was for the best. While they'd always be in her heart, she'd never forgive herself for what she did to Loretta… and neither would they, if they knew. So probably best to leave things like this in a somewhat positive place for them, huh?

But those sorts of thoughts were exactly why Kairi deserved to be locked up and not find Sora, huh?

**Author's Note:** **Oh, man. I feel like I had so much to say this chapter, but I've probably forgotten a lot of it. First off, I swear I'm not trying to make all these worlds live-action (and they all won't be). But just at the start of this story, that's how it's somehow ending up.**

**(1) Kairi liking Queen is a reference to my story "The Best Laid Plans", that I may have just made canon to this story (though you don't have to read that to understand this). It's basically an alternate Re:Mind, that I wrote before Re:Mind came out.**

**So… I changed up the end to Pixel Perfect somewhat, and my inner-child who loves this movie and Loretta is hating me for it. But tbh, Loretta seemed a bit sketch in that ending, so I can get why Kairi and Riku jumped to the wrong conclusion. It also happened, because I needed Kairi to mess up and do something bad since this is still a "dark Kairi" story.**

**But actually… while Kairi tried to kill Loretta, and will definitely be feeling the guilt for that, it was Riku who did it. Though Kairi doesn't realize that (yet) and Riku might not tell her. But that was what Pip was trying to tell her at the end of this chapter. Because Riku was jumping to the same conclusions that Kairi was: that Loretta might try and take Sam's body for her own… and that in doing that, Kairi might stay trapped in their weird dreamscape somehow, and Riku couldn't take that chance. Tbh, I'm not entirely sure what Riku did to manage it (wow, me. I'm the author of this story, and I don't even know). I want to say he deleted her file… but would that even work if she was in Sam's head at the time? Or maybe he extracted her heart from Sam's… but then where did he put it afterwards? Ehh. Hopefully I'll work it out next chapter. Or you guys tell ME how he should have done it, with all this weird science stuff this movie did with Loretta.**

**And, yes: Riku pecked Kairi on the lips to wake her up, but I swear they're still completely platonic and will continue to be.**

**This chapter was probably rushed—and I'm not editing chapters as much now as I probably should be, but it actually allows me to get them out—but whatever.**

**I actually was not going to have Skuld be in this chapter at all (maybe not even in this fic). I was just going to have the hologram Heartless (and Loretta?) be the "threat" of this chapter, because I'm falling into a "Foretellers show up every chapter and say cryptic things and then leave" trap. But then I realized she was kind of needed to get them to the next world. And Skuld isn't a Foreteller, so I guess it's kind of different. -shrugs-**

**Riku can sing in this as sort of a joke—or to differentiate him from his English voice actor, David Gallagher—because David Gallagher can't. And singing didn't seem like a Riku thing to do… which is exactly why I had him do so for fun.**

**Oh! And Luna! Luna is here because I realized this story needs Final Fantasy cameos, and I wanted a Final Fantasy character who could sing, with all the singing stuff going on. But it's one of those FF cameos like, "Squall is totally from Radiant Garden and never lived in a place called Gaia" ones. She's not her FFXV self. She's from the Pixel Perfect world (her, and this Noct. And this world's Chocobos, probably). And it's probably the last we'll see of her, sadly, to not confuse her and the other FFXV characters with the Verum Rex ones, but at least it was something.**

**I hope everyone's enjoying Melody of Memory!**

**Also, I did this entire movie from memory, because Disney does**

**-Shanna**


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